Ten men have been arrested in Bradford following allegations of historic child sexual abuse involving six victims who were aged between 13 and 15 at the time of the offences.
West Yorkshire Police confirmed the suspects, aged between 49 and 71, were detained at addresses across the city and have been interviewed and bailed pending further inquiries. The allegations relate to offences reported to have occurred between 1994 and 1997 in the Bradford district.
Detective Chief Inspector Vicky Greenbank of Bradford District Police said: “Safeguarding and protecting children remains the top priority for West Yorkshire Police. This investigation demonstrates the force’s ongoing commitment to the investigation of both current and non-recent sexual offences against children.”
Arrests Form Part of Wider Investigation
The operation represents the latest development in West Yorkshire Police’s extensive efforts to investigate historic child sexual exploitation cases across the region. The force has established dedicated teams to pursue non-recent offences, recognising that many victims take years or even decades to come forward.
Child sexual abuse and exploitation is an abhorrent and heinous crime and one which affects some of the most vulnerable people in our society,” DCI Greenbank stated.
The arrests follow a pattern of similar operations across West Yorkshire in recent years. In April 2025, thirteen individuals were arrested in Bradford relating to the sexual abuse of a girl between 2000 and 2005, whilst previous investigations have resulted in numerous convictions.
Multi-Agency Approach to Child Protection
West Yorkshire Police emphasised that tackling child abuse requires collaboration across multiple organisations. The force works closely with local authorities, health services, charities and schools to identify vulnerable children and support victims.
“Tackling child abuse is not something that any one agency can do in isolation,” DCI Greenbank explained. “We work closely with our partners and charities to support victims, bring perpetrators to justice and to make our communities safer.”
Each of the force’s five policing districts maintains dedicated inter-disciplinary child safeguarding teams. These units manage investigations whilst coordinating with multi-agency partners in child protection, including the NHS, local authorities and specialist charities.
Historic Context of Bradford Investigations
The arrests occur against a backdrop of extensive investigations into historic child sexual exploitation across West Yorkshire. Operation Dalesway, a large-scale investigation into historic crimes in the Bradford area, has encompassed 32 separate case investigations.
Previous operations have resulted in significant convictions. In 2016, twelve men were sentenced to a total of 140 years in jail following an investigation in Bradford and Keighley. Another investigation in the same year saw 17 men jailed for a combined 165 years in Calderdale.
The scale of historic abuse in the region has prompted calls for independent inquiries. MP Robbie Moore and solicitor David Greenwood recently presented a dossier to the Home Office suggesting over 72,000 children may have been at risk of exploitation across the Bradford District between 1996 and today.
Support Services for Victims
West Yorkshire Police actively supports the national ‘When You Are Ready’ campaign, which encourages victims and survivors of child sexual abuse to seek support when they feel able to do so.
The campaign, launched by the national Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce, centres on a three-minute film featuring the voices of survivors who have experienced abuse. It aims to help victims feel seen and heard whilst emphasising they are not alone.
Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Horner, Child Safeguarding lead for West Yorkshire Police, said: “We welcome this campaign in the hope that it can help victims and survivors in taking the next steps to report abuse and reaffirms that irrespective of time passed, it is never too late to report child abuse.
Specialist Support Organisations Available
Multiple organisations provide support for victims of sexual abuse across West Yorkshire. Yorkshire MESMAC Project works with men and boys involved in or at risk of sexual exploitation, whilst Basis Yorkshire offers safety information and support for women and young people.
The Children’s Society operates the Hand in Hand Project in Keighley and Bradford, supporting young people involved in child sexual exploitation or vulnerable to grooming. The Ivison Trust works alongside parents and carers whose children have been sexually exploited.
Breaking the Silence West Yorkshire provides counselling services specifically for male victims and survivors of sexual abuse from Asian origin communities. Ben’s Place offers specialist support for male sexual abuse survivors throughout the region.
Force Demonstrates Ongoing Commitment
The investigation forms part of West Yorkshire Police’s continued focus on both current and historic sexual offences against children. The force has developed extensive experience in investigating child sexual exploitation, bringing numerous high-profile prosecutions in recent years.
In 2021, Bradford commissioned an independent review into child sexual exploitation examining cases between 2001 and 2019. The review offered recommendations for agencies across the district to implement learning from past cases and adopt national best practice.
West Yorkshire’s active response to child sexual exploitation includes District Child Vulnerability and Exploitation Teams, which work to identify vulnerable children and collaborate with partners to assess risk and safeguarding requirements.
Call for Victims to Come Forward
DCI Greenbank urged anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse to contact police, regardless of when the offences occurred. “Please be assured that you will be listened to, taken seriously and supported by professionals with experience of dealing with these kinds of offences.”
Victims can report child sexual abuse and exploitation online via the West Yorkshire Police website or by calling 101. In cases of immediate danger or vulnerability to harm, people should call 999.
The force emphasises that justice for victims does not necessarily mean a criminal justice outcome. Research shows that for many survivors, simply telling someone about their experiences can be an important step in their healing process.
As investigations continue into these latest arrests, West Yorkshire Police maintains its commitment to pursuing perpetrators of child sexual abuse, regardless of how much time has passed since the offences occurred.
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