Man faces abduction and sex charges

A 42-year-old man will appear before Oldham Magistrates next Tuesday charged with sexual offences against a 14-year-old girl.

David Parker, of Leamington Street, Oldham, has been charged with abducting a girl under the age of 16 and sexual activity with a child aged 13-15.

Parker was arrested after an incident on April 18 this year when a 14-year-old girl from Oldham was reported missing from home and was later discovered at an address in Leamington Street.

The charges are the latest in Operation Messenger, which sees a dedicated team from NHS Oldham, Oldham Council and Greater Manchester Police tackle child sexual exploitation in the borough.

The Messenger team, which also works with the children’s charity Barnardo’s, identifies children who are potentially at risk from abuse and formulates a strategy aimed at helping these individuals.

Anyone with any concerns about children being exploited is urged to contact their local police station on 0161-872 5050 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800-555 111.