Operation Doublet

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. In March 2015, ten men were charged with serious sexual offences as part of the investigation, with further arrests expected.

Background

On 8 May 2012, eight British Pakistani men and one of Afghan origin were convicted at Liverpool Crown Court of sex trafficking and, in some cases, of other offences including rape, sexual assault, and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child.[1] The men, most of whom were married and well-respected within their community, were aged between 24 and 59 and worked as a gang to secure underage girls for sex.[2][3] The offences of which they were convicted occurred in 2008 and 2009, and were centred around two takeaways in Heywood, near Rochdale, Greater Manchester. In all, 47 girls were identified as victims.[4] The gang leader, Shabir Ahmed, was sentenced to 19 years imprisonment for rape, aiding and abetting a rape, sexual assault, trafficking for sexual exploitation, and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with children. The other convicted gang members were sentenced to various terms of between 4 and 12 years imprisonment.[5]

Following the trial, there were suggestions that police and social work departments failed to act when details of the gang first emerged for fear of appearing racist, and ignored vulnerable white teenagers who were being groomed by men of Pakistani origin.[6] It was said that the entire gang may have contained up to 50 individuals.[7]

Police investigation

Operation Doublet was launched following the gang's convictions in May 2012 as an investigation into child grooming and sexual abuse in the region. At the same time, nine men between 24 and 38-years-old were arrested on suspicion of sexual activity with a child.[8] 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.[7][9] 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.[7]

Charges

In March 2015, ten men aged between 26 and 45 were each charged, as part of Operation Doublet, with serious sex offences against seven females who were aged between 13 and 23 at the time. The alleged 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, so 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."[10]

References

  1. ↑ Bunyan, Nigel (8 May 2012). "Rochdale grooming trial: gang convicted for sex trafficking". The Telegraph (London). Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  2. ↑ "Profiles of Child Sex Abuse Gang Members". Sky News. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  3. ↑ Carter, Helen (8 May 2012). "Rochdale child sex ring case: respected men who preyed on the vulnerable". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  4. ↑ "Rochdale grooming trial: Nine found guilty of child sex charges". BBC News. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  5. ↑ "Rochdale paedophile ringleader is named". The Guardian (London). Press Association. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  6. ↑ "Revealed: conspiracy of silence on UK sex gangs". The Times. 5 January 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Jones, Chris (23 May 2013). "Police vow to arrest even more child sex suspects". Manchester Evening News (Manchester). Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  8. ↑ Henry, Julie (12 May 2012). "Arrests made in second Rochdale sex grooming scandal". The Telegraph (London). Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  9. ↑ Smith, Mark (5 March 2013). "Greater Manchester police deny failing child sexual exploitation victims". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  10. ↑ "Ten men charged over Rochdale child abuse claims". BBC News. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2015.

See also

External links