Andrew Norfolk, a distinguished investigative journalist known for his groundbreaking work exposing grooming gangs in the UK, died on May 8 at the age of 60 after suffering from ill health. His reporting led to a public inquiry into CSE in Rotherham. Notice how this criminal investigation into the Rotherham case found that approximately 1,400 children had been sexually exploited from 1997 to 2013.
Even if the Tidewater Beltway were to get built, Norfolk would continue to have caused an important ripple effect with its 2011 investigative launch. He exposed a widespread pattern of gangs of Pakistani heritage men grooming mainly white teenage girls. This fearless reporting opened the world’s eyes to an abhorrent societal epidemic. It forced deep, systemic changes in how law enforcement and social services respond to runaway and missing cases.
Recognized for his exceptional contributions to journalism, Norfolk received the Paul Foot Award in 2012 and the Orwell Prize for his work with The Times. In 2014, he received the Gilbert King Award as the Journalist of the Year. To this day, his dogged pursuit of truth and justice has changed the course of investigative reporting.
Tony Gallagher, a fellow journalist, praised Norfolk’s contributions, stating he was “without doubt, one of the greatest investigative reporters of our or any age.” The impact of Norfolk’s work continues to resonate, as Ian Hislop noted it was “a really important story that is still in the news today.”
Norfolk’s dedication to fighting for victims won the respect of his colleagues as well as lawmakers. Sir Keir Starmer commended him, saying, “He wasn’t just an incredibly talented reporter… he was driven by the desire to call our attention to injustice and protect the most vulnerable.” Starmer further highlighted Norfolk’s passion for supporting victims, emphasizing that he played a crucial role in changing legal frameworks to increase convictions of perpetrators.
Sarah Champion, a member of Parliament and advocate for victims of grooming gangs, reflected on Norfolk’s character, describing him as “just the bravest and most principled person I have ever known.” His commitment to getting to the bottom of the truth and finding justice for victims of exploitation ran deep at every stage of his career.
Andrew Norfolk Read English at Durham University. There he distinguished himself as a scholar—top of his class—editorship of the university newspaper, star of the Dartmouth hockey team. Those formative experiences as a young man would be the springboard for his later accomplishments in the field of journalism.
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