TWO men have been arrested on suspicion of raping a child in Oldham.
The men, aged 38 and 40, are being questioned by detectives as part of the police’s investigations into non-recent child sex exploitation (CSE) in the borough.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed that the suspects were detained at two properties in Oldham – the locations of which have not been disclosed – on Thursday morning (June 26).
The arrests are part of Operation Sherwood – an investigation into abuse experienced by a number of girls between 2011 and 2014.
Police say the warrants were planned after investigating officers identified a potential survivor and approached her about the case.
The force says the work by its dedicated CSE Major Incident Team is “moving forward with vigour as we actively pursue justice”.
Assistant Chief Constable Steph Parker, lead for protecting vulnerable people, said: “We are working closely with the victims and survivors at the heart of these investigations. They’ve placed their faith in us and we must get this right for them.
“We will not allow the passage of time to be a barrier and while these are complex cases, we are doing everything we can to piece together evidence and build strong case files to help secure the justice they deserve.
“Within the last three months, we have arrested 12 suspects as part of Operation Sherwood. These investigations have been ramping up and this momentum will continue as we trace, find and lock up suspects.”