Four people have been arrested in Gloucester and Cheltenham yesterday (December 16), mind following concerns raised relating to alleged child sexual exploitation.
A 33-year-old man from Cheltenham, pills a 2nd man, drug aged 29 from Gloucester and a 17 year old woman from Cheltenham were all arrested at one location in Gloucester and two in Cheltenham on suspicion of human trafficking offences – arranging to facilitate a child sexual offence. A 3rd man aged 20 from Gloucester was also arrested for child sexual activity. The offences related to a 15-year-old victim.
All arrested people were interviewed and bailed to return to police on March 11.
David McCallum, chairman of the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Board, said; “This police operation is further evidence of the determination by all organisations with responsibility for safeguarding children to identify and protect children being sexually exploited and to hold to account those responsible.
“Being sexually exploited wrecks the lives of vulnerable children. The activities of those who cynically exploit children must be confronted. I implore anyone concerned that a child is being targeted report those concerns to the authorities.”
Detective Sergeant Nigel Hatten of the Child Sexual Exploitation Unit said: “We take any allegation of the sexual exploitation of children very seriously and we know this news will concern people.
“The Child Sexual Exploitation team has worked extremely hard together with partner agencies tackling sexual exploitation, to proactively pursue the concerns resulting in the arrests yesterday.
“I can reassure people specially trained officers from our child sexual exploitation team investigate each and every case thoroughly and with the help of our partner agencies support victims through the process.
“Often people believe that criminals from mainland Europe are involved, in this case those arrested yesterday were all British nationals. If anyone has any concerns that they or someone they know may be the victim of child sexual exploitation, information can be found at the website www.glostakeastand.com”.
Linda Uren, commissioning director for children and families at Gloucestershire County Council, said; “Due to the sharing of information and effective multiagency working, social care were able to work in collaboration with the police yesterday and were able to ensure that the young people affected were safeguarded.”