How Huntley sex clues were missed

Ian Huntley's history of sexual exploitation should have rung warning bells, a critical report found today.

There were failures and " inconsistencies" in how social workers and police shared information about the Soham killer.

The Serious Case Review details the cases of 17 teenage girls who came into contact with North East Lincolnshire social services when Huntley was living in Grimsby.

It identifies a series of missed opportunities by social workers and police for connecting these allegations. In his report, Sir Christopher Kelly said: "There are not many people who come out of the events we have described with a great deal of credit.

"In addition to the failures in the police intelligence systems documented in Sir Michael Bichard's report, the standards of care offered to a significant number of the young people who have been the subject of this review were less than adequate."

He added: "It is also worth reporting that according to some media reports and the direct testimony of one of the young women whose cases have been covered in this review, Huntley's penchant for relationships with vulnerable girls below the age of consent was well known in the local community."

Sir Christopher said Grimsby social services had no system that could have kept track on the various allegations made to it.