Operation Doublet

Police investigation

Operation Doublet began in May 2012 as an investigation into child grooming and sexual abuse in the region. In March 2013, it was reported that 42 possible victims of crime had been approached as part of the initial inquiry, and that up to 34 further names of possible victims had been passed to the police. However, Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk expressed concern over the slow progress of the inquiry, and questioned whether officers were winning the trust of victims. Assistant Chief Constable Steve Heywood said in May 2013 that about 550 officers were working on Operation Doublet. He said that the investigation was at "an extremely sensitive stage", and that street grooming was the force's top priority, "a bigger priority than gun crime". He said that the investigation was looking at cases in Rochdale dating back to 2003.

Charges

In May 2012, nine men were arrested on suspicion of sexual activity with a child, the men were not thought to have known each other. In March 2015, a tenth man was arrested for offences relating to two victims aged 13 and 14. In March 2015, the ten men aged between 26 and 45 were charged with serious sex offences against a total of seven females who were aged between 13 and 23 at the time of the offences. The offences took place in Rochdale between 2005 and 2013, and included rape, conspiracy to rape, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual activity with a child, and sexual assault. Ian Wiggett, the assistant chief constable of Greater Manchester Police said that, thus far, 65 people had been arrested as part of Operation Doublet. He said: "This is an extremely complex and challenging investigation which... will continue over the coming months and further arrests are anticipated."

Sentences

Ten men were sentenced to a total of 125 years in jail:

The convictions related to eight victims who were aged from 13 to 23 at the time of the offences.