Specialist investigation team arrests more suspects and secures major convictions as survivors of non-recent exploitation continue to come forward
Greater Manchester Police have made a series of new arrests in Rochdale and Manchester as part of ongoing investigations into historic child sexual exploitation.
The force’s dedicated Child Sexual Exploitation Major Investigation Team has stepped up operations this October, with multiple suspects detained, fresh charges expected, and seven men sentenced to over 170 years in prison.
In Rochdale, two further suspects have been arrested in separate operations investigating non-recent abuse. A 32-year-old man was detained on 16 October on suspicion of inciting prostitution for gain, as part of Operation Exmoor, an investigation into abuse committed between 2008 and 2010. He has since been released on bail under strict conditions. The victim is being supported by specialist officers.
Another arrest linked to Operation Earby saw a 46-year-old man held on 2 October, following a previous arrest in July for rape. He was taken in on suspicion of assault and breaching police bail, and remains on conditional bail. Operation Earby is focused on offences committed in Rochdale and Oldham between 1997 and 2004.
Two men in their 60s and 70s were also arrested in south Manchester in connection with abuse in Rusholme during the 1990s, part of Operation Edison. A 75-year-old was arrested in Withington on 7 October, while a 65-year-old man was arrested in Stretford on 20 October. Both men were bailed pending further enquiries. Edison has now seen 18 suspects arrested since its launch in 2020.
The largest breakthrough this month came under Operation Lytton. Seven men were sentenced to a combined 174 years in prison for the abuse of two girls in Rochdale, in what police described as a “significant milestone”. Since its launch, Lytton and a related operation have led to 32 convictions and over 470 years of prison sentences.
Detective Superintendent Alan Clitherow, who leads GMP’s CSE MIT, said: “Every arrest, charge and conviction reflects the bravery of survivors and our determination to follow every lead. When you are ready, we will listen, and you will be believed.”
Officers are currently working with dozens of survivors and pursuing more than 20 active investigations. In one case, police have supported a move by the Court of Appeal to extend a sentence handed down under Operation Green Jacket, which examined abuse in south Manchester during the early 2000s.
Efforts to prevent child exploitation today were also highlighted in a new report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary. It praised GMP’s use of high-visibility patrols and multi-agency efforts under Operation Luka and Operation Makesafe, particularly their work with hotels and care providers to reduce risk and raise awareness.
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