Wherever the blame lies in this horrific matter, and whatever the so-called reasoning behind it is (though there is no reasoning, is there? - these 'men' are simply vile pigs, scumbags of the first order and hopefully not long for this earth) - one thing is remains certain: these girls were grotesquely let down by everyone - the police, the council, the relevant authorities. And no amount of bullshit retrospective inquiries or 'apologies' or 'lessons to be learnt' spiel will alter that fact. Deplorable, shameful and disgusting doesn't even cover it.