'My daughter, 14, was visibly strip searched after telling police she'd been raped'

Marlon West has spoken retired aft his girl Scarlett went done a harrowing ordeal successful constabulary custody astatine Bury constabulary presumption successful Greater Manchester pursuing a study of rape

A 14-year-old miss who told constabulary she'd been raped was "unlawfully" portion searched according to her horrified dad, who is demanding answers from the force.

Dad Marlon West said Greater Manchester Police bosses person much to bash to support children successful the portion from intersexual exploitation.

His comments travel aft his girl went done a harrowing ordeal portion successful constabulary custody. Scarlett was arrested successful August 2019 pursuing suspicions she had been progressive successful a car robbery.

Her lawsuit was highlighted successful the Baird Inquiry, which revealed however women and girls had been treated portion successful custody. Scarlett waived her close to anonymity and agreed for her begetter to talk connected her behalf.

The teenager, present 19, was made to portion to her underwear astatine Bury constabulary presumption aft being arrested, the enquiry found. She did not person an due big contiguous with her portion it happened, the study said.

Scarlett described being detained for much than 24 hours and searched successful a country adjacent to the custody table with a solid doorway 'through which anyone could spot her successful her underwear', reports the Manchester Evening News.

Officers portion searched the teen 'because she had hidden an e-cigarette from the constabulary connected immoderate different occasion,' the enquiry concluded.

A study connected Scarlett's lawsuit published arsenic portion of the enquiry added that 2 women constabulary officers 'told her to instrumentality her apparel off' to hunt her, and that they 'put their fingers betwixt her toes', but 'nothing was found'.

The study besides said "Scarlett went missing and was raped" successful 2019 by a antheral known arsenic Adult 4, and that different antheral named Adult 5 had "groomed her" with Scarlett describing being driven circular to hotels to instrumentality drugs and person sex.

GMP said investigations into the allegations are ongoing. No arrests person been made.

The enquiry reported Scarlett 'she didn’t consciousness believed' by constabulary aft the incidents, and that GMP 'did not efficaciously support her' from events specified arsenic 'frightening visits astatine nighttime from men' to her home.

Scarlett's begetter is calling for constabulary bosses to bash much to tackle kid intersexual exploitation (CSE) aft GMP announced it has made large changes to however it treats radical successful custody.

Mr West besides said helium has met with Labour MP Jess Phillips to sermon a nationalist strategy to code kid exploitation.

A study this week said GMP has ended payment portion searches and introduced a scope of measures to marque improvements to however radical are treated successful constabulary custody, including creating caller pistillate payment serviceman roles, and providing officers with refresher grooming connected the usage of voluntary interviews to trim the fig of arrests, arsenic good arsenic connected CSE.

Mr West said lone a tiny portion of the effect has focused connected protecting children from intersexual exploitation.

He told the Manchester Evening News: "I'm not impressed with it, my run is astir kid intersexual exploitation astir Greater Manchester, but determination is lone a tiny spot connected determination close astatine the extremity [of the latest study update].

“I americium truly disappointed with the update due to the fact that determination is not precise overmuch astir kid intersexual exploitation. Right astatine the extremity it says astir grooming caller officers, but it doesn't springiness immoderate extent to it.

“So is that conscionable the caller recruits? What astir the older officers? It's not precise wide and there's not overmuch astir it.”

GMP has publically apologised for what happened to a fig of radical successful its custody, including Scarlett.

A constabulary spokeswoman said: “Since Scarlett’s clip successful custody, we person already acted successful respective areas to amended our service. This includes each pistillate detainee being appointed a dedicated pistillate payment serviceman and bespoke dignitary packs, containing sanitary products, being proactively issued.

“All officers are being trained connected our revised voluntary attendance policy, and we are moving with the College of Policing to guarantee each officers are trained to recognise and respond to the effects of home and intersexual trauma connected survivors.

“Our wide effect to kid intersexual exploitation has drastically improved and is seeing survivors supported and perpetrators vigorously pursued. Almost 3,000 suspected enactment offenders person been arrested successful GM this twelvemonth and we are committed to getting justness for victims.

“While an extended probe continues into allegations from Scarlett and her father, and we recognize the interaction of their acquisition cannot beryllium undone, we are assured that her acquisition of the GMP of contiguous would beryllium overmuch improved from that of 2 years ago.”