WIREDGOV

Two brothers have appeared in court charged with raping and sexually assaulting three young girls, following an investigation by officers working on the National Crime Agency’s Operation Stovewood.

Mark Wayne Evans, aged 34, and Robert George Evans, 37, both from Rotherham, face 11 charges in total for offences which are alleged to have taken place in the Rotherham area between 2006 and 2009.

The girls would have been aged between 13 and 15 at the time.

Both men appeared before Sheffield Magistrates yesterday (Wednesday 8 June), having been informed that the Crown Prosecution Service had authorised the charges two weeks ago.

They have been bailed to appear next at Sheffield Crown Court on 6 July.

NCA Senior Investigating Officer Philip Marshall said:

“Operation Stovewood remains the single largest law enforcement investigation into non-familial child sexual exploitation in the UK, and I’d appeal to anyone who believes they may have been a victim of these types of offences in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013 to contact us. You will be supported through the process.”

There are currently around 40 separate investigations running under the Stovewood umbrella.

Contact details for the Operation Stovewood team can be found on the NCA website www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/stovewood.