Zayan is just like any other British toddler.

The four-year-old loves playing outdoors with his friends, loves animals, and is enjoying learning about the world at school.
But unlike most young Brits, he is living thousands of miles from his mum.

Correne gave birth to him in Egypt after being told that he would be taken into care. It’s the last thing she wanted, but after decades of battling for justice over abuse she claims she suffered as a child and the chaos this has caused, it was the only choice she was left with.

The brave mum, who has waived her right to anonymity, spoke exclusively to GB News about her horrifying ordeal.

She said that she was first targeted by gangs of Pakistani men in Telford when she was just 12 years old.

“I’d be on my way home from school. They’d just get me in the car, and ask me if I wanted to go for a drive.

“The first time that I was raped, the man took me to his sister's house. I was fighting him, but I had no chance of keeping my trousers on. I was only little, skinny, frail. And he was a grown man.”

At 13, Correne became pregnant. She said that the father could be one of six men, who she still does not know the identity of.

By the time she was 18, Correne said that she had been raped by over 100 men.

“The police were aware we were getting groomed. So they just didn't do anything. They never did anything at all,” she told me.

West Mercia Police now say that they have learned lessons from this period.

But Correne’s suffering has extended long into her adulthood.

Correne has spent decades battling for justice over abuse she suffered as a child

Correne’s suffering has extended long into her adulthood

In 2018, a newspaper report revealed that countless children had been abused by predominantly Pakistani gangs in the town for two decades.

Correne recognised some of the victims' names and experiences in the coverage.

Three girls were named: Lucy Lowe, Becky Watson and Vicky Round.

Lucy Lowe was murdered, Becky Watson was killed in an unexplained car accident, Vicky Round died of a drugs overdose. All three had been groomed in Telford.

“Lucy and Becky were my friends. I realised that I was one of them girls as well.”

Some men were arrested after Correne gave statements to the police about her childhood of abuse, but she said that the perpetrators started trying to get her to drop her allegations. GB News understands the men deny all of the allegations made against them.

Correne claimed they wanted her out of Telford and the country.

Lucy Lowe was murdered, Becky Watson was killed in an unexplained car accident, Vicky Round died of a drugs overdose. All three had been groomed in Telford

“One man was talking to me every day, calling me to find out everything, he said to me: 'Why don't you go to Egypt?'”

She said that he added: “'Go and sort your head out and have a think about what you're doing before you do it'.”

Correne told GB News that she was paid by her alleged abusers to fly to Egypt and start a new life there.

“I wasn't supposed to come back. They'd paid for me to live over there. They were going to send me money every month for me to live off and everything, so that I didn't come back and speak to the police.”

But while isolated in Egypt, Correne’s mental health took a turn for the worse and she returned to Britain.

Correne told me that she was settled in a different part of the country, but she was “found” by her alleged perpetrators, and she started moving around to evade them.

“A couple of times, people told me that there were cars with Pakistani lads in hanging around. Other times I'd seen them myself.

“They wanted me to shut up. They wanted to silence me. They didn't want me speaking out.”

Correne gave birth to Zayan in Egypt after being told that he would be taken into care

After being found yet again, Correne fled back to Egypt, but injured herself while in the North African country. Her children flew back to Britain without her.

It was while she was recuperating in a location that we are keeping private for her security that Correne heard news that broke her heart.

One of her children phoned to say that her daughter and youngest child were being taken into social care.

“I literally broke down and I cried my eyes out. They took the most important thing in my life away from me and it broke me.

“I made calls from Egypt to the social worker. I booked the next flight back. Even though I wasn't allowed to fly, I still flew back.”

Correne claims that the social worker said that her life was in danger following the police complaints.

The brave mum then made another difficult decision. Devastated by her daughter being taken, she dropped the police complaint thinking it would end the chaos.

But it didn’t work.

Devastated by her daughter being taken, she dropped the police complaint thinking it would end the chaos

“I rang the police, telling them I'm in danger, I need protection. The police wouldn't help. The council wouldn't help.

“In the end, I ended up sleeping outside the police station all night because I had nowhere else to go. I didn't feel safe, and I thought, that's the next safest place for me. So I bought a £6 quilt from Asda over the road, and I slept outside the police station all night.

“I wanted them to help me and support me. I wanted my little girl back. I wanted somewhere safe to live.”

Correne’s torment did not end there.

Her mum, whom the alleged abusers knew from when she was a child, was also allegedly subjected to violent attacks.

“Mum had gone to the door and she only opened the door up a little bit and they kicked or pushed the door and that's sent mum flying. So mum's ended up falling back onto the floor.

“The one lad started fighting with my mum and the other lad is looking around the bungalow and saying to me mum, 'Where's Corrine?'”

“And my mom's fighting with the other one down on the floor. She had black eyes.”

Correne said she ended up 'sleeping outside the police station all night'

After this traumatic experience, some time passed where Correne hadn’t been found by the gangs of perpetrators and she was living in relative peace in a part of the country that we cannot disclose for her safety.

She became pregnant again and was preparing to give birth when a midwife stunned her during a home visit.

“She asked me how I felt about social services wanting to take the baby when it was born.

“I wasn't aware that social services were planning on doing that. So as soon as she said that to me, I said, ‘Hold on a minute, you see them suitcases there?’ And she said, ‘Yeah, why?’

“I said, ‘Well, when you go now, I’m packing my stuff. I'm leaving the country because you’ve already took one daughter from me, and you’re not taking another baby from me’.”

Zayan is four years old now. He has spent his entire life being raised in Egypt with Correne’s friends who she has met during her regular periods in the country.

“I just want him to live a normal life, like the British kids who live their lives.

“He's never going to be able to have a life like that. I just wish he could be here with me.

“He's missing me. He keeps asking, when am I going back? And I don't know when I can go back. I'm not well enough to keep flying over anymore.”

Correne is now trying to raise money to leave Britain and take Zayan and her younger children.

Her testimony comes as the Government is under significant pressure to tackle Britain’s national grooming gangs scandal.

In January, Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips announced that there would be five local inquiries into abuse gangs.

So far, only Oldham has been confirmed for an inquiry and the Government has been accused of “watering down” its commitment, which it has rejected. Home Office sources have regularly told GB News that further inquiries will be announced.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has also said that a new framework would be developed to support the inquiries, led by the chair of the 2022 Telford inquiry Tom Crowther KC.

The Home Office have said that the Telford inquiry is a model that other towns should learn from, that it has delivered change and leads to action.

Ministers say that a national inquiry is not necessary and that more localised inquiries based on the Telford model will deliver what survivors want.

But Correne is not convinced.

Correne is now trying to raise money to leave Britain and take Zayan and her younger children

“People aren't getting justice. The girls are scared to talk out. They see what I go through.

“I'm not scared to talk anymore. I'm not going to shut up. I'm still suffering and I will keep talking out as much as I have to.”

Assistant Chief Constable for Crime and Vulnerability, Caroline Marsh, told GB News: “We know that in the past our actions and our approach to child sexual exploitation was unacceptable and we let victims and survivors down. We have previously apologised unequivocally for these failures and continue to extend this apology for the failures by police, and other agencies, which meant we let children and young people down at a time when they needed our help and protection.

“In 2022, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation was published and last year the Chair published the findings of the two-year review, which assessed the implementation of the recommendations. The report found that all organisations had either met or exceeded expectations in addressing the issues raised and we are resolute in continuing to build on this, we have always been clear in our mission to continually develop and evolve.

“The voices of victims and survivors helps shape and improve our approach, and I would like to acknowledge the fundamental role those with lived experiences have had, and will continue to have, in informing our response and helping us improve.”

Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “Correne's harrowing story - and the shameful lack of action by the authorities - shows why locally-led inquiries aren’t working and won’t deliver the justice victims need.

“Only a national inquiry with proper powers of investigation has a hope of getting justice. The cover-up must end.”

In a statement, Telford and Wrekin Council said: “Whilst we do not comment on individual cases, we can confirm that Telford & Wrekin Council works closely and extensively with individuals at risk or affected by child sexual exploitation to support them and their families.

“An independent inquiry into CSE in Telford was completed in July 2024, with the independent Chair, Tom Crowther KC, commending our progress and approach as ‘an admirable model from which others can learn’.”

“Telford & Wrekin Council continues to work with partner organisations and individuals with lived experience to continuously monitor and refine our approach.”