WIREDGOV

Ten more men have been arrested as part of an investigation into the abuse of four girls in Rotherham, alleged to have taken place around 20 years ago.

NCA officers working as part of Operation Stovewood made the series of arrests in various locations across South and West Yorkshire this week.

All those detained were aged between 35 and 53, and were arrested on suspicion of offences relating to the abuse of girls who would have been between aged between 11 and 16 at the time.

All were questioned and released while investigations continue.

It follows the arrest of five men in Rotherham and Leeds in a series of operations which took place between 28 and 30 July as part of the same investigation. A sixth individual was detained last week.

The arrests mean that around 150 people have now been arrested as part of Operation Stovewood. Jail terms of almost 250 years have been handed down to the 20 people convicted so far.

Philip Marshall, senior investigating officer for Operation Stovewood, yesterday said:

“This has been a significant week of operational activity and, working closely with local partners in Rotherham and across Yorkshire, we continue to focus on supporting victims and bringing offenders to justice as part of Operation Stovewood.

“While that work goes on it is important we still reach out and appeal to victims or witnesses to come forward.

“We’re interested in speaking to anyone who might have information to help investigations into child sexual abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.

“They should know that we will support them and they can speak to us in the strictest of confidence.”

Contact details for the Stovewood team can be found on the National Crime Agency’s website www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/Stovewood. 

Stovewood is the single largest law enforcement investigation into non-familial child sexual abuse (CSA) in the UK.