Two men have been questioned by detectives and released on bail, while the third suspect remains in police custody as police continue their investigation into non-recent child sexual exploitation in Rochdale.
Investigators from the dedicated Child Sexual Exploitation Major Investigations Team are currently questioning a 79-year-old man on suspicion of raping a girl under the age of 16 and a girl under the age of 13.
He was arrested at an address in the Castleton area of Rochdale earlier today
It is the third arrest police have made in the past month relating to Operation Exmoor – a dedicated investigation launched in 2021 into missed opportunities into sexual offences in Rochdale between 2008 and 2010.
Earlier this week, a 65-year-old man was arrested in Rochdale on suspicion of arranging or facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child and administering a noxious substance to commit a sexual offence.
Last month, an 84-year-old man was arrested in Rochdale on suspicion of arranging or facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child under the age of 13-years-old.
Both men have been questioned and released on bail with strict conditions as detectives continue to work with the Crown Prosecution Service to build a strong case for court.
The two victims – now both women – are being kept updated and supported by specialist officers and support agencies.
Assistant Chief Constable Steph Parker, GMP’s lead for protecting vulnerable people, said: “Our dedicated team was created to handle the most complex non-recent CSE investigations with a steadfast determination to ensure time is no barrier to justice for any victim that has been let down in the past.
“Our recent action in relation to Operation Exmoor is a clear signal of our intention to ramp up our investigations into this horrific non-recent offending. It doesn’t matter how much time has passed; we are ruthlessly pursuing offenders to bring them to justice for crimes.
“We know there are survivors across Greater Manchester who understandably don’t have trust in policing all these years after they were let down by us after being abused. The GMP of today is lightyears ahead of where we were, and I want survivors to know that when you are ready, we will listen, and we will act if you want us to.”
