Operation Doublet is an investigation set up in 2012 by Greater Manchester Police into child sexual exploitation in Rochdale and other areas of Greater Manchester, England. It has resulted in 19 men being jailed for child sexual offences, rape and trafficking.

Police investigation

In March 2013, it was reported that 42 possible victims of crime had been approached as part of the initial inquiry, and that up to 34 further names of possible victims had been passed to the police. However, Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk expressed concern over the slow progress of the inquiry, and questioned whether officers were winning the trust of victims.[1][2] Assistant Chief Constable Steve Heywood said in May 2013 that about 550 officers were working on Operation Doublet. He said that the investigation was at "an extremely sensitive stage", and that street grooming was the force's top priority, "a bigger priority than gun crime". He said that the investigation was looking at cases in Rochdale dating back to 2003.[1]

Charges

In May 2012, nine men were arrested on suspicion of sexual activity with a child; the men were not thought to have known each other.[3] In March 2015, a tenth man was arrested for offences relating to two victims aged 13 and 14. In March 2015, the ten men aged between 26 and 45 were charged with serious sex offences against a total of seven females[4] who were aged between 13 and 23 at the time of the offences. The offences took place in Rochdale between 2005 and 2013, and included rape, conspiracy to rape, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual activity with a child, and sexual assault. Ian Wiggett, the assistant chief constable of Greater Manchester Police said that, thus far, 65 people had been arrested as part of Operation Doublet. He said: "This is an extremely complex and challenging investigation which... will continue over the coming months and further arrests are anticipated."[5]

Four more men were jailed in September 2016 with a further five in February 2017.[6][7]

Sentences

Initially, ten men were sentenced to jail:

The convictions related to eight victims who were aged from 13 to 23 at the time of the offences.[9]

An additional four men were sentenced to jail in 2016:

The convictions relate to offences committed against two victims who were aged between 15 and 16 at the time of the abuse. [10]

Five men were sentenced to jail in 2017:

The convictions relate to three victims who were aged between 14 and 16 at the time of the abuse.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Jones, Chris (23 May 2013). "Police vow to arrest even more child sex suspects". Manchester Evening News. Manchester. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  2. ^ Smith, Mark (5 March 2013). "Greater Manchester police deny failing child sexual exploitation victims". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  3. ^ Henry, Julie (12 May 2012). "Arrests made in second Rochdale sex grooming scandal". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  4. ^ "CPS statement on Operation Doublet charges". Crown Prosecution Service. 2 March 2015. Archived from the original on 26 March 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  5. ^ "Ten men charged over Rochdale child abuse claims". BBC News. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  6. ^ Abbit, Beth (2017-02-18). "Five men jailed as part of investigation into child sexual exploitation". men. Retrieved 2018-12-29.
  7. ^ "Four men jailed for serious sexual offences with children mainly in Rochdale". ITV News. Retrieved 2018-12-29.
  8. ^ "Rochdale rapist who fled the UK arrested in Pakistan". BBC News. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  9. ^ "Child sex beasts caged for 125 years". Oldham Chronicle.
  10. ^ "Four men jailed for serious sexual offences with children mainly in Rochdale". ITV News. Retrieved 2018-12-29.
  11. ^ Abbit, Beth (2017-02-18). "Five men jailed as part of investigation into child sexual exploitation". men. Retrieved 2018-12-29.
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