Rochdale grooming trial collapsed over contents of jury WhatsApp group

A court trial over alleged historic sexual offences in Rochdale fell apart due to issues with a jurors’ WhatsApp group. The case at Minshull Street Crown Court had been ongoing for nearly two months before the jury was discharged in December 2025. Six men are facing serious allegations, including rape against three girls, and will be retried in August.

The trial was derailed after it was revealed that some jurors discussed a TV broadcast about ‘grooming gangs’ in their WhatsApp chat. One juror informed the judge, leading to an investigation where messages indicated that jurors had been looking up material contrary to the judge’s orders. Despite claims of had not actually watching the broadcast, defence barristers highlighted concerns that the jurors were not following directions correctly. Ultimately, the judge ruled that questioning them could further complicate the situation, leading to the jury being discharged.

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News