Manchester council worker arrested in child sex abuse inquiry

BBC documentary The Betrayed Girls focused on the death in 2003 of 15-year-old Victoria Agoglia

A children's social care employee has been arrested as part of a police investigation into child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester.

The man, in his 40s, has been suspended from his job at Manchester City Council and released on bail, police said.

He was held last Thursday on suspicion of sexual activity with a child when in a position of trust and misconduct in a public office.

The arrest was part of an operation set up to identify and safeguard victims.

Operation Green Jacket aims to support victims of child sexual exploitation and identify current or past offenders.

It replaced Greater Manchester Police's (GMP) Operation Augusta, which was set up in 2004 and criticised in a damning report.

Released in January, the independent report found children had suffered "the most profound abuse" but police "but did not protect them".

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham commissioned the report as a result of the 2017 BBC documentary The Betrayed Girls, which focused on the death in 2003 of 15-year-old Victoria Agoglia and GMP's subsequent investigation.

Assistant Chief Constable Mabs Hussain said: "This operation remains a top priority for GMP with officers doing everything they can to provide victims of child sexual exploitation with appropriate support from specialist agencies and continuing to work to bring offenders to justice.

"We are completely committed to ensuring victims receive the right support."