Nearly 500 victims of child sexual exploitation have been identified by police in Greater Manchester.
Greater Manchester police said they were aware of 480 young victims of sexual abuse and had identified more than 650 offenders dating back to the early 2000s.
The scale of the abuse is much higher than that identified by an earlier, widely criticised operation, which found only 57 victims before it was disbanded in 2005.
Mabs Hussain, the assistant chief constable of Greater Manchester police, said on Tuesday there were currently 73 live investigations into child sexual exploitation across the region dating back nearly 20 years. The 480 victims have been identified as part of the 73 ongoing investigations.
He said: “I appreciate to the public these figures may be alarming but I’d also like the public to have the confidence in Greater Manchester police’s commitment to tackle this abhorrent crime.”
The force launched its huge Operation Green Jacket probe into child sexual abuse in May 2018, initially aimed at reinvestigating exploitation in 2004 to 2005.
Operation Green Jacket replaced the discredited Operation Augusta, which was disbanded in 2005 and criticised in the damning report, commissioned by the Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, in 2017.
The independent report found children had suffered “the most profound abuse” but police “but did not protect them”. It followed renewed focus on the death of 15-year-old Victoria Agoglia, who suffered severe sexual abuse while in the care of Manchester city council and died in 2003 after being injected with heroin.
The figures were released on Tuesday as Greater Manchester police said three men had been arrested under the inquiry.
Two men, aged 41 and 49, were arrested on suspicion of the rape of a female under 16 and indecent assault on a girl under the age of 16. The 41-year-old was also arrested on suspicion of causing the prostitution of a girl under 16 and the supply of class A and B drugs.
The third man, a 38-year-old, was arrested last month on suspicion of the rape of a female under 16 and supplying a class A drug. In total, six men have been arrested as part of Operation Green Jacket and inquiries are ongoing.
Hussain said: “Tackling the exploitation of children and vulnerable people within our communities is an absolute priority for Greater Manchester police and we’re fully committed to working closely with partners to provide the best possible support to victims of exploitation and also target, disrupt and apprehend those responsible.
“The arrests today once again demonstrate our commitment to Operation Green Jacket to ensure those victims who were denied justice in the past have the opportunity to receive it today.”
The force said 54 individuals had been prosecuted for child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester since January, with a further 13 convicted and awaiting sentencing. Ten others have been charged and are awaiting trial.
Hussain said: “Whilst we have made further arrests, Operation Green Jacket is continuing and I would encourage anyone affected by the case, requiring support or with information that could assist our investigation to get in touch via the dedicated email address.”
