Rotherham: Man, 57, charged over sexual abuse of teenagers

The alleged offences took place between 1996 and 1999, the National Crime Agency says

A 57-year-old man has been charged with the sexual abuse of four teenage girls in Rotherham in the 1990s.

The man, who is from Sheffield, has been charged with rape, indecent assault, false imprisonment and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The arrest was made as part of Operation Stovewood, the investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) into historical child sex abuse.

He is due to appear before Sheffield Magistrates on 22 June, the NCA said.

The alleged offences took place between 1996 and 1999 against four females aged between 15 and 19, the agency added.

Senior Investigating Officer Philip Marshall said: "We remain focused on seeking justice for, and providing support to, victims - who remain our first priority.

"Our investigations in Rotherham continue, and I'd urge anyone who believes they may have been a victim between 1997 and 2013, or who might have information that might assist us, to contact us."

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