SENIOR politicians and council officials knew “many” children in Rotherham were at risk of sexual exploitation almost a decade ago, a former high-ranking civil servant said yesterday.

Dr Sonia Sharp, Rotherham children’s services director between 2005 and 2008, said she was briefed by “politicians, senior managers and frontline staff about the issue of sexual exploitation of young people” when she began her role.

Dr Sharp said staff feared that this was “the tip of an iceberg” but were faced with the predominant view that the abuse victims were “promiscuous teenagers in consensual relationships.”