TELFORD’S child sexual exploitation inquiry is proactively approaching organisations and individuals as part of its ongoing evidence-gathering.

But, in an progress report, the Independent Inquiry into Telford Child Sexual Exploitation says survivors and witnesses “should not assume” the inquiry team will contact them, as data protection and confidentiality may prevent that.

Chairman Tom Crowther QC has instead repeated his call for anyone with information to contact the team.

The report, published online, adds that the inquiry has received 143,000 documents of evidence from Telford and Wrekin Council, NHS bodies and both West Mercia and West Midlands police forces.

The IITCSE, it says, has “begun to approach organisations and make requests to speak to individual witnesses”.

The report adds: “The chair has also begun to approach organisations and make requests to speak to individual witnesses in relation to information they may be able to provide that is relevant to the inquiry’s terms of reference.

“The chair, however, continues to encourage anyone that has information to share and come forward.

“Individuals should not assume that the chair will proactively contact them.”

It says, in some cases, that would be inappropriate, particularly where the people concerned are survivors of CSE, or their family or friends.

“Individuals should also not assume that the inquiry is in possession of their contact details or able to use such details, for reasons of data protection,” the report adds.

“For this reason, if you have relevant evidence to give, please do get in contact with the inquiry.”

The report adds that the inquiry has so far received 143,000 relevant document, “and disclosure of further documents is continuing”.

Approximately 816,000 pages of material has been received from Telford and Wrekin Council alone, and inquiry team anticipates “well in excess of 1,000,000” eventually.

The inquiry continues to gather material from West Mercia Police, it adds, and “has started to receive documentation from relevant NHS provider organisations, Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group and West Midlands Police”, along with NHS England.

“It remains clear to the chair that significantly more material will be disclosed, all of which will help inform his investigations.”

In November 2018, Telford and Wrekin Council chose law firm Eversheds Sutherland LLP to commission the inquiry. Mr Crowther, a former judge, was appointed as chairman last June.

Contact information for the inquiry is available at IITCSE.com.