Sixteen arrested in child sex abuse probe

Sixteen people have been arrested by police investigating reports of non-recent child sexual abuse in West Yorkshire.

A total of 15 men and one woman had been arrested since November in Huddersfield, Bradford, Dewsbury and Batley, as well as in several other places, police said.

The reported offences against 10 girls between 1990 and 1996 were largely committed in Dewsbury, Ossett and Bradford, and included rape, attempted rape and aiding and abetting rape, according to a West Yorkshire Police spokesperson.

All those arrested had since been interviewed and either released on bail or bailed under investigation, they said.

Det Ch Insp Rob Steven, from West Yorkshire Police, said: "An extensive investigation remains ongoing into these non-recent offences.

"All those arrested have now been interviewed and released pending our continuing enquires in conjunction with partners at the Crown Prosecution Service.

"We continue to urge anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse to report it to us, no matter how long ago it occurred.

"Please be assured you will be listened to, taken seriously and supported by professionals with experience of dealing with these kind of offences."

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