One victim told police how girls were being offered £50 for sex above takeaways, while others described going to “sex parties” with 20 Asian men. ​But despite a 2004 Greater Manchester Police probe identifying the paedophile network, few were ever brought to justice.​ GMP’s Operation Augusta identified at least 57 victims but was “prematurely closed down before it could complete its work”.​ The 145-page report reveals authorities failed to protect youngsters from Asian men for fear of inciting “racial hatred” – with one GMP team told to arrest “any other ethnicity” than Asian.​

Victims were hooked on drugs and raped.

Victoria Agoglia, 15, died in 2003 after being injected with heroin by a 50-year-old man. ​

Yesterday the revelations of institutional neglect were disclosed after a two-year inquiry.​

The report states: “Authorities knew many were being subjected to the most profound abuse and exploitation but did not protect them.​

“These were predominantly Asian men working in the restaurant industry; they enticed young girls in the care system and ultimately abused them. ​

“But concerns were expressed about the risk of proactive tactics or the incitement of racial hatred.”​

Commissioned by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, the report was launched on the back of allegations made by ex-detective Maggie Oliver.​

​It was also sparked by GMP’s criticism over their fears of arresting Asian men in the separate Rochdale abuse scandal.​

​​Yesterday GMP Chief Constable Ian Hopkins apologised to the victims and said he felt “personally disgusted” at the crimes.​

He went on: “In August 2018 it became clear Augusta was not to standard and I immediately commissioned a review.​ Following (that) review, a multi-agency team was established with Manchester city council under Operation Green Jacket.​

“To date Green Jacket has identified 53 potential victims; 48 were in care. This includes Victoria Agoglia.” ​​

Joanne Roney, Manchester City Council chief executive, said: “This report makes for painful reading. ​Some of the social work 15 years ago fell far below the high standards we now expect. ​

​“We are deeply sorry not enough was done to protect our children at the time – we are in a much better place.”​ ​

The report looked at a sample of historic cases detailing rape and sexual abuse allegations made by girls that were not ­followed up.​

​It concludes each case with the same sentence: “We cannot offer any assurance this was appropriately addressed by GMP or Manchester City Council.”​​

As a result “very few of the relevant perpetrators were brought to justice and neither were their activities disrupted”.​

This was despite “clear evidence” girls, aged 12 to 16, were being abused “generally by older Asian men”.​

Police even had all the predators’ names, addresses and the flats above takeaways where the abuse occurred.​

Mr Burnham said Victoria’s death “exposed a network of paedophiles brazenly abusing young people in care… appallingly left to reoffend”.​

​He added there was now “a zero-tolerance approach to child sexual exploitation”. 

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