Two former South Yorkshire Police officers arrested over Rotherham sexual abuse claims
Two former police officers have been arrested over complaints from four victims of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.
The police watchdog said the alleged offences are said to have been committed by the two former South Yorkshire Police constables, who were based in the town, while they were on and off duty.
A retired officer in his 60s is being investigated following complaints of child sexual abuse against two girls between 1995 and 1999, according to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
He was arrested in October on suspicion of misconduct in public office, attempted rape and three counts of indecent assault, and was further arrested this month about reported sexual offences against a third complainant between 1997 and 2002.
The second former officer, who is in his 50s, was arrested in December on suspicion of sexual assault and misconduct in public office and one count of indecent assault over alleged incidents in around 1995 to 1996.
IOPC Director Emily Barry said: "When we completed the Operation Linden investigations in 2022, into how South Yorkshire Police investigated reports of child sexual exploitation and abuse in Rotherham, we acknowledged that there may be further complaints from survivors.
"These matters came to our attention after we received a referral of a complaint from South Yorkshire Police in October last year.
"This was followed by more complaints from a second woman in November and complaints from two further women in December, which were referred to us by SYP as a result of their initial enquiries."
"Clearly these are very serious complaints and we will ensure they are thoroughly and robustly investigated."
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
24 minutes ago
- USA Today
Deadly Las Vegas shooting was livestreamed on YouTube, police report says
Deadly Las Vegas shooting was livestreamed on YouTube, police report says Show Caption Hide Caption Suspect turns himself in after deadly Las Vegas Strip shooting Two people died from gunshot wounds on the Las Vegas Strip. Police believe the shooting was an isolated incident and are searching for the suspect. A yearslong online rivalry between two Las Vegas YouTubers turned deadly when one of them allegedly shot and killed the other earlier this month, according to a police report from the incident. On June 8 around 10:40 p.m. local time, Manuel "Manny" Ruiz allegedly fatally shot Rodney Finley and his wife Tanisha Finley near the Bellagio fountains on the Las Vegas strip, according to the report obtained by USA TODAY. Ruiz, 41, was identified as a suspect in the shooting. He turned himself in to authorities on June 9 and was charged with two counts of open murder with use of a deadly weapon, LVMPD said in a release. According to the police report, Ruiz is claiming self-defense in the shooting. It's unclear if he has an attorney. Police report: Suspect, victim had ongoing feud before fatal shooting Manny Ruiz and Rodney Finley both ran YouTube channels in the Las Vegas area, according to the police report. They had a feud with each other that dated back to October 2023, the report said. Ruiz alleged Finley made negative comments about him and his wife online. Ruiz told investigators that he recently had an altercation with Finley during which he was cited for battery. He had an upcoming court date for the incident on June 12, he told police. In an interview with police, Ruiz's wife said they had previously received "verbal threats and insults" on their YouTube channel. They had also received hate mail at their home before, she said. Witness recounted watching shooting on livestream The police report also said both Ruiz and Rodney Finley were livestreaming on their YouTube channels when the shooting occurred. A witness who watched Rodney Finley's livestream told police he saw Ruiz appear on screen, pull a gun from his waistband and fire at least five shots out of view. Tanisha Finley then grabbed the phone before the witness said he heard several more gunshots. The phone fell to the ground and remained streaming until a police officer appeared in frame and shut the video off, the witness said. Ruiz claims self-defense in fatal shooting Ruiz told police he shot Rodney and Tanisha Finley in self-defense, according to the report. He said Tanisha Finley was dancing in his face. He said he then saw Rodney Finley reaching for something in his waistband which he believed to be a weapon, which is when he fired. After, he said he saw Tanisha Finley holding a "shiny black object" which he believed to be a weapon, leading Ruiz to fire at her. According to the report, Ruiz was "adamant" to officers that he shot in self-defense and said he didn't know the Finleys were livestreaming. He also denied making any threats towards them. Investigators showed Ruiz video of the incident, which "clearly shows Manny (Ruiz) advancing towards" the victims, according to the report. Rodney and Tanisha Finley were 'soulmates,' GoFundMe says Rodney Finley, 44, and Tanisha Finley, 43, were identified as the victims killed in the shooting. At the time of the shooting, officers responded and rendered medical assistance, but both victims were pronounced dead at the scene, LVMPD Undersheriff Andrew Walsh said during a press conference. According to a GoFundMe page organized by Tanisha Finley's brother, Rodney and Tanisha Finley had four kids together. One of the couple's children, Rakia Finley, told 12News that her parents "were literally soulmates." The GoFundMe said the couple's deaths "have left the family in deep mourning." Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sally Nugent forced to halt BBC show live to deliver 'breaking news'
BBC Breakfast was halted live on air as Sally Nugent issued a breaking news update to viewers. It came following a fatal shooting of democratic state politician Melissa Hortman and her husband in Minnesota over the weekend. Sally shared with viewers that a man had been arrested following the incident. Vance Luther Boelter, aged 57, was captured on Sunday (June 15) night after an extensive two-day search operation for the killings that occurred the day before, YorkshireLive reports. READ MORE: Drug dealer who hid cocaine in Vaseline tubs jailed Speaking on the show, Sally said: "Police in the US state of Minnesota have arrested a man suspected of killing a democratic politician and her husband." Viewers were then shown an image of the man alongside a breaking news banner. Sally continued: "Officers released this photograph of the suspect, who was captured in what the Minnesota Governor Tim Walz described as a complex and dangerous manhunt. "Melissa Hortman and her partner were shot on Saturday after the attacker posed as a police officer." It has also been reported that the apprehended individual is accused of shooting and injuring another democratic legislator, state Senator John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, at their residence nearby. Following the arrest news, Minnesota Mayor Jacob Frey took to Facebook, commending the exceptional "skill and bravery" displayed by multiple law enforcement agencies in catching the suspect. "I'm grateful that our law enforcement partners in Minnesota acted with urgency to arrest the shooter and bring him to justice," he wrote. "Political violence is abhorrent, it cuts against the most basic moral fabric of our democracy. It's critical that those who commit these acts be held accountable under the law. I'm glad that will happen here." You can get all your favourite content from BirminghamLive on WhatsApp. Click here to sign up for breaking updates about the biggest stories in the region. If you prefer reading our stories on your phone, consider downloading the BirminghamLive app. You can get it from Apple here and for Android here. And finally, if there is a story you think our journalists should be looking into, we want to hear from you. Email us on newsdesk@
The Hill
4 hours ago
- The Hill
How Minnesota shooting suspect was found
The suspect wanted for killing a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband and shooting a state senator and his wife was arrested late Sunday night after a manhunt spanning two days and involving nearly 200 law enforcement officers. Vance Boelter was arrested near his farm in Green Isle, Minn., late Sunday night. Boelter is accused of killing former Minnesota state Speaker Melissa Hortman (D) and her husband, Mark Hortman, at their home while posing as a police officer. State Sen. John Hoffman (D) and his wife Yvette Hoffman were also shot at their home. They underwent surgery and are receiving care, Gov. Tim Walz (D) said. He called the attacks 'politically motivated.' The search for Boelter was renewed early Sunday morning after authorities found his car and cowboy hat not far from his residence. But even after speaking with his wife and relatives, investigators could not find more on him for over 10 hours. After an officer spotted a man running into the woods, authorities confirmed Boelter's presence in the area using an image from a trail camera. Law enforcement set up a perimeter and closed the distance to him in about 90 minutes using a helicopter, Bruley said at a press conference on Sunday night. They used a drone to track him as he crawled through thick shrubs before he was arrested. Boelter worked for a local security company called Praetorian Guard Security Services and claimed to have an extensive resume in several countries, including Eastern Europe, Africa, and parts of the Middle East, including the West Bank and Gaza. More recently, he worked for two funeral homes in the Minneapolis area before going back to Africa. After he returned, he worked a job 'extracting eyeballs from cadavers so they could be used for organ donation,' a roommate told the Washington Post. Boelter had ties to several religious groups, and worked in Africa and the Palestinian territories to spread Christianity to 'militant Islamists.' There is video on YouTube of him preaching to a large church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His roommate told local news that Boelter had voted for President Trump and was 'a strong supporter,' but called him a 'very good guy.' Law enforcement said Saturday they found a list of individuals, including Hortman, Hoffman, as well as Sen. Tina Smith (D) in Boelter's car, as well as flyers for the anti-Trump 'No Kings' protests. All coordinated 'No Kings' protests in Minnesota were canceled after state officials urged residents to avoid the demonstrations in the wake of the shooting. Thousands attended peacefully anyway.
