Three men arrested on suspicion of rape of a child

Greater Manchester Police has arrested three more men on suspicion of rape of a child under the age of 16 following early morning raids today (Thurs).

The offences are alleged to have occurred in Oldham between 2011-2014 and are being investigated by detectives in the CSE Major Incident Team. 

Specialist resources from the tactical aid unit were deployed at dawn to execute a warrant at an address in Oldham and arrested a man – aged 51 – on suspicion of rape of a child. 

Officers also knocked on doors in Salford and Longsight and arrested two men – aged 33 and 52 – on suspicion of rape of a child. 

The suspects are not believed to be linked and have been taken into custody for questioning following disclosure from three victims who are supporting the investigation. 

These arrests form part of Operation Sherwood; a complex and wide-ranging investigation into child grooming and group-based sexual abuse in Oldham over a decade ago. 

Since its launch in 2022, several survivors have approached the police. 

Detectives have worked closely with them over the years to develop a strong evidential picture and are now actively tracing and locking up suspects.  

As extensive enquiries are carried out, officers are ensuring these women are supported and kept up to date. 

Assistant Chief Constable Steph Parker, lead for Protecting Vulnerable People, said: “Protecting children is our priority, and we are making significant strides in how we investigate cases of non-recent abuse. 

“Baroness Casey recently highlighted our specialist CSE MIT team in a national audit as the only one of its kind in the country, where a team of nearly 100 highly skilled investigators are dedicated to investigating the most serious cases of group-based offending.  

“We’re adapting techniques proven successful in dismantling serious organised crime groups because that’s how these child abusers operate by preying on vulnerabilities and exploiting them for their sick pleasures and criminal gains. 

“The girls who were abused in Oldham over a decade ago are no longer children, and we are listening to them. We have learned from our past mistakes and applied our much deeper understanding of CSE toward taking rigorous steps forward in secure outcomes that they are satisfied with. 

“These criminals may have thought they had gotten away with it, but we are coming for them and will not allow passage of time to obstruct our investigations. 

“We are determined to ensure survivors can have faith in the GMP of today to bring offenders to justice. 

“Bringing child abusers to justice is why our investigation teams work so tirelessly day-in day-out to piece together all the evidence to present the best possible case in court. 

“These are long and complex investigations, but time will be no barrier to GMP’s commitment to seeking justice for survivors.” 

“We will not relent until they have been brought to justice for the misery they inflicted on children in Oldham.”