At least nine girls as young as 11 sexually assaulted in public pool by ‘family of Syrian men who groped them in water'
Cops arrested four suspects aged 18 to 28 who are Syrian nationals, the Southeast Hesse Police Headquarters confirmed to German newspaper Bild.
1
The heinous attacks occurred last Sunday at the Barbarossabad swimming pool.
Several girls are said to have reported to pool staff that they had been assaulted by a group of men in the whirlpool area.
Two of the men arrested are reportedly related.
Criminal charges have since been filed against all of the suspects, who have also been banned from the pool.
Five young girls initially came forward to report the incidents, but as the assaults became public knowledge, more bravely came forward.
The victims also testified that they had been sexually harassed.
A total of eight girls aged just 11 to 16 were victims of sexual assault at the pool.
It currently cannot be ruled out that other girls or women were affected, reports claim.
.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
18 minutes ago
- The Independent
Purple pavement markings part of Mind the Grab campaign to tackle phone theft
Purple lines with the warning 'Mind the Grab' have been marked on London's busy Oxford Street to help tackle phone theft. The campaign, which is supported by the Metropolitan Police, Westminster Council and Crimestoppers, features the markings on the pavement at the central London location that is usually packed with shoppers, commuters and tourists. Theft hotspots in Westminster last year saw a mobile being stolen every 15 minutes and 77% of Britons view phone snatching as a significant problem in the UK, rising to 88% in large cities such as London, according to research commissioned by tech retailer Currys. The wording on the purple markings, which is inspired by London Underground's 'Mind the Gap' catchphrase, aims to remind pedestrians to step back from the kerb, keep their phone hidden and reduce their risk of snatch and grab theft. The Metropolitan Police said the campaign is part of its strategy to tackle phone theft. Superintendent Natasha Evans, the Met's local policing lead for Westminster, said: 'Officers are relentlessly pursuing criminal gangs intent on committing robbery and phone theft. 'We have increased patrols in hotspot areas to identify and deter perpetrators – and robbery has reduced by 20% in the West End since April. 'We are putting extra officers into central London to help drive forward our focus on reducing crime and bringing offenders to justice. 'We're also working closely with businesses in the area and support the campaign by Currys to encourage people to be aware of their surroundings to reduce the risk of becoming a victim.' The campaign is run by Currys and the University of London's Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (ICPR), in an effort to raise awareness and cut down on the numbers of high street phone thefts. Aicha Less, deputy leader and cabinet member for children and public protection of Westminster City Council, said the campaign aims to raise awareness about phone thefts and promote simple measures to stay safe in public spaces, such as keeping valuables out of sight and planning routes home in advance. It is part of 'identifying the key crime and disorder issues facing our city and making the West End a safer place for visitors, residents and businesses,' she said. Ed Connolly, Currys chief commercial officer, said: 'Phone theft isn't just about losing a device, it's frightening, invasive, and cuts people off from their loved ones, their money and their daily lives. 'Enough is enough. It's time to draw the line on phone theft – that's why we've launched the Mind the Grab campaign – a bold pavement marking we believe can make a real difference by encouraging people to step back from the kerb.' Kate Johnston, director of business and fundraising at the independent UK charity Crimestoppers, said: 'Mobile phone theft is not just a statistic, it's a crime that leaves people feeling vulnerable and shaken.' She described the campaign as an 'innovative approach' which uses clear visual cues, and urged pedestrians to be vigilant. She said: 'Prevention is only part of the solution.
The Sun
19 minutes ago
- The Sun
Moment boozy Jet2 passengers are hauled off flight for VAPING after plane was forced to turn back one hour into flight
THIS is the moment two yobs sparked an emergency at 30,000ft after vaping in their seats. Families were devastated as the boozed-up thugs rowed with cabin crew and ignored demands from the cockpit to stop smoking. 3 3 There was anger and disbelief at no-frills carrier Jet2 that the two men were 'drunk as skunks' at take-off and allowed on-board. Passengers told The Sun they were knocking back alcohol after the scheduled 5.55am departure was delayed. One of the nicked hooligans was later alleged to be found carrying cocaine and MDMA. An emergency was declared one hour into Jet2's Flight 1577 to Heraklion in Crete on Tuesday morning. The pilots declared an emergency and returned to Stansted airport where police waited to seize the two men. Footage obtained by The Sun shows the moment officers entered the twin-jet Airbus A321 at 9.36am to wild cheers from the rest of the exasperated passengers. Boos can be heard ringing out the cabin and one fed-up woman shouts at the hooligans, one of whom is weaning a back-to-front black baseball cap: 'Get off!' A male passenger bellows, 'Loser!', then adds of the duo: 'F****** b***ends!' Another flyer screams: 'Do not get on a flight if you cannot control your drink!' She adds: 'We love you police - thank you!' Acknowledging the no-frills airline's catchphrase, ' Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday' following the ad campaign starring pop star Jess Glynne, she then quipped: '...And if you want to take a Jet2 holiday!' A source told The Sun: 'Passengers were livid. Everyone was looking forward to the start of the holiday. "The worst scenario is having to turn around and return to the UK after an hour into the flight. 'But there was also anger that the two men were allowed on board, clearly drunk. 'It's ridiculous that they could be so boozed-up so early. The flight was meant to go before 6am but was delayed for over an hour. "That clearly gave these thugs more time to knock back the hard stuff. 'There were lots of kids on the plane and the airline should not allow these lunatics to spoil hard earned holidays.' 'EVERYONE WAS DISTRAUGHT' A passenger added: 'On the flight the duo were so obnoxious. They began vaping, then kicked off when told to stop smoking. 'They couldn't understand or care just how dangerous it was for everyone on the plane. 'The pilots were told what was going on and a cockpit announcement warned that if the pair didn't stop vaping the flight would have to return to the UK. 'The drunk pair ignored the threat and continued being rude to the crew, so we had to return to Stansted. Everyone was distraught and families were a little frightened. It is very unnerving. 'When the police boarded the plane on landing there were cheers for the officers, and abuse for the yobs. I hope they get the book thrown at them. They should be locked up and banned from flying in future.' The gutted holidaymakers were forced to wait until a later service could take them on the four-hour journey to Greece yesterday evening. Jet2 gave passengers a £10 voucher to be redeemed in WHSmith at Stansted. A passenger blasted: 'The guys were so obviously drunk before boarding. They should not have been on the plane. The whole thing could have been avoided if Jet2 had done their job. 'Everyone was furious. Some passengers were only going to Crete for a few days and it took a big chunk out of their holiday. It was such a frustrating experience.' Jet2 is the UK's third biggest scheduled airline offering package and charter flights and based at Leeds Bradford airport. The carrier is the largest tour operator in the UK ahead of Tui. THUG ARRESTED An Essex Police spokesman told The Sun: 'We were called at around 8.40am on Tuesday 5 August to reports of a disruptive passenger on board a flight bound for Greece. 'Officers were alerted to the flight's imminent return to Stansted Airport and detained two passengers for searches. 'One was arrested and taken into custody after a quantity of suspected Class A drugs was found. 'A man, aged in his 20s, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, remains in custody for questioning.' The second passenger was detained by cops for a stop and search after leaving the aircraft but not arrested. LIFETIME BAN Last night Jet2 broke their silence to reveal they'd issued a passenger with a life ban. The branded the behaviour "disgraceful" and "aggressive". An airline spokesperson said: "We can confirm that a customer has been issued with a lifetime ban following a catalogue of disgraceful and aggressive behaviour, which led to flight LS1577 from London Stansted to Crete Heraklion having to return to Stansted so that police could offload them. "We would like to thank the police and our crew for their handling of this difficult situation. "As a family friendly airline, we take a zero-tolerance approach to disruptive passenger behaviour and we will fully support the authorities with any subsequent investigation, including prosecutions and pursuing civil proceedings if necessary."
Telegraph
19 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Police hire private security firm to stop children terrorising residents
Private security guards have been recruited to support police patrols in a seaside town in an attempt to stop children from terrorising residents during the school holidays. Businesses in Herne Bay, Kent, say groups of children have been stealing from shops, shouting abuse and using catapults against animals in the park. Akon Security has been given an £8,500 contract, funded by the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner's office, to help council enforcement officers crack down on antisocial behaviour. Two security guards will work five days a week to patrol the streets, while police increase their presence on Fridays and Saturdays. Akon workers cannot arrest anyone, but will act as a deterrent, assisting officers and reporting crimes straight to police. Heena Thakkar, 49, who owns a corner shop on the high street, said the children had been terrorising her for years – but that things were starting to improve with the new patrols. She said: 'We have had problems with them but with the new patrols it has gotten a lot better. They come to check on my shop at least two times a day. 'We had kids coming in a little gang, and they are only about eight or 10 years old. They would always steal stuff. 'They would also throw eggs and fruit at our doors. They were always lobbing trolleys at the windows. This was going on for four months, then they started killing ducks in the park.' A charity shop worker, who wished not to be named, said: 'If anyone ever leaves donations when we are closed, then the bags are destroyed and stink of urine. 'Theft has gone up loads even though we have cameras. These kids don't care that we have them. They steal about 50 items a month, which is a few hundred pounds of revenue. 'Most of our volunteers are old or vulnerable so even if they see something there isn't a lot that they can do.' Kamal Virdi, 59, who runs a vape shop in the high street, said: 'There is a group of around four or five kids that come up here on their e-scooters. I have thrown them out of the shop a few times. 'They are loud, and they come in the shops to try and steal stuff about two or three times a week. 'There are a lot of elderly people being terrorised by yobs. But there isn't anything that they can do.' The Kent Police and Crime Commissioner's office has funded the project, which will help the work of Kent Police, Kent county council (KCC) wardens and city council enforcement teams. A commissioner spokesman said that as part of the KCC budget for 'crime reduction grants', Canterbury's County Community Safety Partnership (CSP) was given an additional £8,500 so they can 'respond to seasonal ASB in the coastal area of Herne Bay'. Chief Insp Paul Stoner, the district commander in nearby Canterbury, said: 'Being visible is the bedrock of Kent Police's neighbourhood policing model, with community-focused beat teams as well as officers working with licensed premises dedicated to keep the town and surrounding areas safe and enjoyable for all. 'Partnership working with other agencies including Canterbury city council is well-established and any initiative introduced by a partner organisation aimed at making an area safer will be supported appropriately.'
