Reinvestigating Child Exploitation Cases: Operation BeaconPort

This signed for letter was sent to Nigel Leary today in regard to Operation BeaconPort undersigned for Delivery. Emails have also gone out this morning to many officials to ask what date they made a referral of the Stealing of Emily.

Operation BeaconPort: Case Overview

Operation BeaconPort is a high-profile, national policing operation in the United Kingdom, led by the National Crime Agency (NCA). It represents one of the most comprehensive reviews of investigative failures in British history, specifically targeting the handling of group-based child sexual exploitation (CSE) and “grooming gangs.”

The operation was established in 2025 following the recommendations of Baroness Casey’s National Audit, which highlighted systemic failures in how police forces and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) handled these horrific crimes.

1. Scope and Objectives

The primary goal of Operation BeaconPort is to “right the wrongs of the past” by reviewing thousands of cases that were closed without charges.

Timeline: It reviews cases where a decision of “No Further Action” (NFA) was made between January 1, 2010, and March 31, 2025.
Case Criteria: The review focuses on cases involving:
- Two or more suspects (group-based).
- More than one victim.
- Contact offenses (physical abuse/rape).
- Suspects who are still alive and within reach of justice.
Priority: As of late 2025, over 1,270 files from 23 police forces had been referred for review, with 216 high-priority cases involving rape allegations being accelerated for immediate reinvestigation.

2. Leadership and Key Figures

Nigel Leary: As the Deputy Director of the National Crime Agency, Nigel Leary is the operational lead and public face of BeaconPort. He has been vocal about the “human errors” and “procedural failures” discovered during initial audits—such as detectives failing to follow clear lines of inquiry or not taking victim accounts correctly.
NCA Oversight: Unlike standard local police reviews, BeaconPort uses the unique powers of the NCA to compel forces to hand over files and ensure a consistent, “postcode-blind” standard of justice across England and Wales.

3. Technological and Analytical Approach

The operation is notable for its use of advanced technology to bridge “evidence gaps” that occurred years ago:

AI Tools: Utilizing tools like TOEX Translate for bulk processing of foreign-language data from seized devices.
Data Analysis: Identifying patterns, offender networks, and relationships that were missed by human investigators in the original cases.
Ethnicity and Demographics: The operation is explicitly recording ethnicity data of victims and suspects to address previous institutional fears of “inflaming community tensions,” ensuring investigations are evidence-led and transparent.

4. Legal and Social Impact

Operation BeaconPort runs parallel to a National Statutory Inquiry. While the Inquiry holds institutions accountable for why they failed, BeaconPort is the criminal arm focused on prosecuting the perpetrators.

For many, this operation represents a final chance at justice, though Nigel Leary has cautioned that due to the age of the evidence (deleted digital files, missing DNA), not every reinvestigation will result in a conviction.

Field	Details
Recipient	Nigel Leary
Date Sent	January 31, 2026
Delivery Method	Signed-for Mail (Tracked)
Subject Matter	Operation BeaconPort
Status	Awaiting Delivery Confirmation / Signature

Nigel Leary
National Crime Agency (NCA)
1-6 Citadel Place,
Tinworth Street,
London SE11 5AL.

Telephone 0370 496 7622.2026-1-30

Dear Nigel Leary

Subject Information Regarding Operation BeaconPort

I wanted to share some information about Operation BeaconPort, which is a major national policing operation in the United Kingdom announced in late 2025 and led by the National Crime Agency (NCA).

Operation BeaconPort was established to review, and where necessary reinvestigate, previously closed cases of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE). The operation aims to address human error and inconsistencies in how police forces initially handled grooming gang cases, with the goal of ensuring perpetrators face justice while victims receive appropriate support.

758,000 children a missing I have identified the mechanism as I am a stake holder with involvement of my daughter.

The review covers cases between 1 January 2010 and 31 March 2025 where police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) previously decided to take no further action (NFA). Initially, more than 1,273 cases across 23 police forces were identified, with 236 cases involving rape allegations being prioritised.

The operation uses artificial intelligence to help identify missed leads and patterns in case data and draws on investigative methodologies from previous operations, including Operation Stovewood. It also follows a trauma-informed approach, prioritising the voices of victims and survivors. If a victim does not wish their case to be reopened, their wishes are respected, although safeguarding assessments may still take place.

Operation BeaconPort is supported by the Tackling Organised Exploitation (TOEX) programme, the Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Taskforce, and multiple UK police forces. It is also running alongside the national public inquiry into grooming gangs and is considered one of the most comprehensive investigations of its type in UK history.

Yours Sincerely

Martin Newbold

thestealingofemily.co.uk