TWO men have today (Monday, June 27th) been arrested by police on suspicion of historic sex offences.



A 50 year old man from Blackpool has been arrested on suspicion of indecent assault and taking indecent images of a child.

A 39 year old man from Blackpool has been arrested on suspicion of rape, serious sexual assault indecent assault and possession of indecent images of a child.

Both are currently in custody.

The offences were allegedly committed in the early 2000s and relate to two girls aged 14 or 15 at the time.

The arrests have been made by the team of detectives investigating the disappearance of Charlene Downes in Blackpool 2003 and her subsequent murder, although there is no suggestion that these latest arrests are directly connected.

Charlene was just 14 years old when she was last seen in Blackpool on Saturday November 1st 2003.

Despite a lengthy and complex investigation, numerous media appeals and a £100,000 reward on offer for information leading to the conviction of her killer or killers or the recovery of her body, nobody has ever been brought to justice.

The investigation is one of the constabulary’s largest and longest running inquiries and is examining both the disappearance and murder and the wider issue of child sexual exploitation in Blackpool.

So far the inquiry has generated more than 10,500 police actions or lines of inquiry and officers have taken more than 4800 witness statements.

The £100,000 reward for information – put up by Clive Grunshaw, Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner – remains in place as detectives continue to probe the case.

Detective Superintendent Andy Webster, Senior Investigating Officer, said: “We remain committed to finding the killer or killers of Charlene and bringing them to justice and we have a team of detectives and staff dedicated solely to this investigation.

“As part of our inquiries we are also focussing on the wider issue of child sexual exploitation in Blackpool at around the time of Charlene’s disappearance and we have identified a number of people who could potentially be victims.

“Despite the passage of time, I would like to appeal directly both to those who may know or have heard what happened to Charlene, but also to anyone who may have been a victim of abuse to come forward and contact us.

“I firmly believe that there are people who know what happened to Charlene but have not come forward to speak to the police. You may have been present when she was murdered or may simply have information about how she was killed and what happened to her body. For whatever reasons, you may have chosen not to speak out previously, but as we seek to lift the lid on what happened your information is vital to take the case forward.

“If your reluctance is due to fear of reprisals, I would still urge you to contact us. We will ensure that every measure is taken to ensure your safety but the first step requires you to speak to us. Also, if you are afraid you could incriminate yourself, let me assure you that our objective is to find Charlene’s killer or killers.”

Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw said: “I have promised to do whatever I can to help Lancashire Police get justice for Charlene and her family. That is why I am offering a significant reward for information that helps them find out who killed her.

"Someone somewhere has information about this horrific crime and I would urge them to do the right thing and tell police what they know so Charlene's family can finally get the answers they have been waiting 13 years for.

"We know Charlene was a victim of sexual abuse before she died and sadly hers was not an isolated case. More potential victims have been identified as a result of this wide-ranging investigation and police will continue to act on any new information that comes to light.

"I am committed to protecting vulnerable young people and supporting victims of crime no matter how long ago the offences may have taken place. I hope these arrests will give people confidence to come forward, safe in the knowledge they will be listened to and taken seriously."

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting log number 0345 of Monday, June 27th or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers.org they can email: charlenedownesinvestigation@lancashire.pnn.police.uk