Sex criminals who abused vulnerable children escaped justice because police in Rotherham dismissed victims as “silly girls” and “lovesick teenagers”, a secret recording reveals.

Officers from the town’s child exploitation team admitted that until recently their colleagues ignored offences in cases where young victims were groomed to comply with the sexual demands of adults.

One of the specialist officers also said that police who failed to act after witnessing an “adult male having sex on the floor” with a 14-year-old were unlikely to confirm her claims because they would “know they’re going to get in the sh**”.

They were speaking last year at a private meeting with an abuse survivor. A recording of the conversation has been obtained by The Times. An independent inquiry, criticising