Why is this not newsworthy?

There are many many "newsworthy" events every day and every news editor has to pick the relatively few that she or he considers most important and interesting to cover. The general public may not agree with the criteria used. Moreover, when people have been charged with a crime sub judice rules come into play.

Sadly, there are far more instances of human trafficking than are ever reported in the news, whether the culprits are Asian, Russian, Bulgarian or British.

What do you want them to report? The trial is likely to last a few weeks. The public will be sick to death of it by the end. The media is restricted in what it can report, which is a good thing, because the last thing that should happen is that it turns into a voyeuristic media circus.

I'm sure the media are not restricted to the extent they could not report this, otherwise how could the BBC report it on local news? But I agree that it's a matter of when, not if, it will go out to a wider audience. It no doubt reach national news status at some stage, but probably not until the trial is over.

Would it had made wider news quicker if it had happened in say Norfolk or Devon? I would say sadly that it is not so much of a surprise in certain areas.

Well I for one would have wanted to hear this as an item of national news. What an appalling thing!

It may not have been included in the National News because of concerns about demonizing the Asian Community. They seem to regard white British girls as inferior to their own kind.

Why, Jane 10? So as to stoke the fire of racism?

I'm sure it will become an item of national news once the trial is over and verdicts have been reached.

It was in the local news. All that's been reported so far is the names of those accused and the allegations, which hardly makes headline news.

The trial is going to take weeks. There would be a real risk that the trial would be compromised if the public is subjected to anti-Asian Daily Express-type news on a daily basis. Not only that but the identity of the victims needs to be protected.

I've noticed that these kind of crimes (whatever the nationality of the defendants) are rarely reported until there's a verdict. I can't see that it's in the public interest.

X post Maizie.

You are doing your bit to spread this piece of news, dbDB. We should hear more if those charged are found guilty of the charges against them. They have only been charged so far. Don't forget about the "innocent until proved guilty" bit. As someone said, right now the details are sub judice.

I can see that it's in the public interest, dd, because of the principle of innocence until guilt is proved. There have been cases recently of young men who allegedly commited rape having their lives ruined because their guilt was assumed and their names made public (though their false accusers have the protection of anonymity).

It's also, as such cases show, in individuals' interests. The public has no right to condemn people before they are proved to have commited the crime they are charged with.

This trial didn't make national news either, until it was all over:

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/apr/22/child-sex-paedophile-abuse-gang-revealed-trial-two-convictions

I agree with you, thatbags.

I have noticed local news not make the National news broadcasts until some days after I have seen it - same with local press having stories way before the Nationals. I am sure it will come to the fore but as likely to go on for several weeks they have plenty of time. These cases are absolutely dreadful.

The last thing we want is trial by media which sadly seems to happen in this sort of case. Also rather than reporting cleanly on the events the media have a tendency to turn it into an us (white) against them (Asian). If fact even in the OP dd felt the need to tell us the accused were Asian. If young girls are being raped and trafficked does it really matter what the nationality or race the abusers are?

vp yes. Crime, alleged or not, shouldnt be covered up. People should be aware as possible, to make informed decisions in their lives.
When pickpockets are a certain nationality, and you find yourself in a street with some of that nationality around, it would be wise to be extra vigilant about your possessions would it not, dont you think?

I agree with thatbags too. Thanks for spelling it out, *tb'.

Are you advising all females to avoid Asian-looking men?

Going extreme on a statement is just a way to try and mask being sensible daphnedill.

It's not at all unusual for the national news to cover pre-verdict trials, or indeed pre-trial investigations. I guess all sorts of things come into play in deciding when and if to report. Exactly what is driving this decision I can't say but it will reach the national news and I see nothing wrong in waiting for the verdict.

It is important not to jeopardise the case outcome by over exposure and information/pictures getting circulated on social media etc. We need the right and fair outcome. It is shocking to hear that there is another sexual exploitation case going on and sadly, probably won't be the last. I do get the feeling some posters feel the alleged crime is somehow worse because of the ethnicity/race/religion of those charged. I wonder if this post would be going if the background of people concerned had not been mentioned?

Sadly, we have been here before and the BBC (being as PC as it is) would rather have a lost puppy as its main headline than a large group of Asian men and women abusing/raping young children.

This is clearly not one of those cases where one woman accuses one man and the main is named etc, is it? Given that there are 29 people accused.

I don't think this has anything whatsoever to do with "stoking the fire of racism" as it would appear that some Asian men seem to regard young white girls as "fair game" which must be Stamped out or we will see this kind of thing happening more and more in areas with a high density Asian population.

Pretending it didn't happen for fear of being accused of racism or trying to bury news such as this under the carpet does nothing at all to stop it.

The parochial nature of the press was satirised best by I think Evelyn Waugh in Scoop ("Anyone here been raped and speaks English?") and it must be very frustrating for those outside the M25 to see that the London centric media circus has not moved on since those days.
No, I agree, if it had been a London Borough, a leafy Home Counties market town or indeed one of the "usual suspects" such as Rotherham, it would not have been ignored or at best relegated to an obscure corner of an inner page.
This to me is why we as consumers have to make it our business (if we want to be well informed, some are happy to leave itvat that) to look beyond the selection of the News Editors and to be aware that there is a lot more going on than the front pages or TV "national" news purvey.

MaisieD. I'm not interested from a racist point of view at all. It was the sheer numbers involved. All those men. Girls aged 11 and upwards. That's what horrified me.