In 2026, the Offender Database recorded that two boys, then aged 15 and 16, appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court standing trial for the rape of a 13-year-old girl. On Tuesday, 3 March 2026, it was reported that the “vile” attack occurred in February 2024 in bushes off a footpath near the Newbold tram stop in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. The court reported that a third boy, then 12, was also involved in the incident but was deemed unfit to stand trial.
The investigation established that the victim did not know the defendants and had only been in their company for a short period. Greater Manchester Police reported that the girl and a friend were waiting at Rochdale tram station when the boys began interacting with them. The prosecution reported that after the group got off at Newbold, the boys blocked the girls’ path and “manhandled” them before dragging the victim into the bushes for a “monstrous” joint enterprise attack.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that the three boys allegedly “took it in turns” to rape the victim while a 10-second video of the ordeal was recorded on a mobile phone. Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard how the girl explicitly said “no” when asked if she wanted to have sex, a statement heard by her friend who eventually stepped in to stop the attack. The prosecution reported that the footage was later circulated amongst the defendants and others, demonstrating a “callous” attitude toward the 13-year-old in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.
The prosecutor noted that it would have been “obvious” the girl was not consenting as she was physically pushed and bent over during the assault. For their actions in Rochdale, the two teenage defendants maintain a denial of the charges, claiming the activity was instigated by the victim. The judge noted that the trial would continue to examine the evidence, including the “horrible” police interviews where the girl described her panic and the “blur” of the events off the pathway near the tram stop.
Charges and Procedural Status
Following the investigation by Greater Manchester Police, the following procedural facts were recorded:
- Defendants: Two boys aged 15 and 16 (on trial) and one boy aged 14 (unfit for trial).
- Charges: Multiple counts of rape.
- Incident Location: Bushes near Newbold tram stop, Rochdale, Greater Manchester.
- Evidence: CCTV from Rochdale town centre and a 10-second mobile phone recording.
- Judicial Oversight: Ongoing trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court as of March 2026.
Monitoring and Public Protection
The defendants are managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) at a high level of oversight by Greater Manchester Police and the youth justice services. Due to the “predatory” nature of the joint enterprise rape and the digital distribution of the footage in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, their management during the trial is subject to intensive scrutiny by the Public Protection Unit.
Should they be convicted, the defendants will be required to comply with notification requirements regarding their identity and residence for a duration determined by the court. Authorities state that the nature of the “horrific” attack off a public footpath necessitates permanent monitoring of their digital conduct and community interactions. Any further sexual misconduct or breach of future court-imposed conditions in Rochdale, Manchester, or elsewhere will result in immediate legal action and a return to the custodial system.
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