Three arrested in Oldham child sexual abuse raids

Three people have been arrested on suspicion of committing non-recent sexual offences against children in Oldham.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) raided homes in Oldham, Rochdale and Bolton under Operation Sherwood, an investigation into historical cases of child sexual exploitation in the town.

Assistant Chief Constable Stephanie Parker said: "We believe there were a number of girls who experienced horrific sexual abuse in Oldham at that time."

The force "will not stop until we get justice for those victims", she added.

Operation Sherwood was launched in 2022 after a critical report found that police and council-run agencies had failed to protect vulnerable children from abuse in Oldham.

In response, both GMP and Oldham Council apologised for their failures.

Speaking about the latest raids, Assistant Chief Constable Parker said her force was "ramping up" its investigation, with further arrests expected.

She said officers were "still uncovering the scale" of the abuse and were "absolutely committed to uncovering every single aspect of what occurred in Oldham at that time".

The senior officer continued: "We are working really closely with the victims. I would say that confidence in us has grown and I would say that's down to the work that our officers are doing in respect of this.

"We have officers all over the force, working meticulously, to identify offenders, to gather intelligence, and to pursue the suspects."

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.