Rotherham child sex abuse: Further arrests in Operation Stovewood

To date, nearly 170 people have been arrested as part of Operation Stovewood, which is investigating child sex abuse in Rotherham

Two men have been arrested over allegations of child sexual abuse in South Yorkshire.

A 73-year-old man was held in Rotherham on suspicion of 10 offences between 2005 and 2015.

A 37-year-old man has been detained in Leicester on suspicion of arranging or facilitating another to commit rape in Sheffield between May and August 2004.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the arrests were made on Thursday under the Operation Stovewood inquiry.

In total about 170 people have been arrested under the operation, the largest investigation into non-familial child sexual abuse in the UK.

Plea to victims

Philip Marshall, Operation Stovewood senior investigating officer, said: "I hope this continued activity sends out a message to victims that we are taking allegations seriously.

"We encourage all victims to come forward and give their accounts in the knowledge they will be listened to and they will supported throughout.

"If you believe that you were a victim of child sexual abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013 or might have information that might assist our investigations then please contact us."

South Yorkshire Police asked the NCA to lead an independent investigation in 2015, following a report by Professor Alexis Jay in 2014 which found abuse in Rotherham had been ignored by agencies.