Rochdale child sex abuse risk levels revealed

More than 50 children are considered at risk of sexual exploitation in Rochdale, council figures have revealed.

Throughout Greater Manchester, 436 are considered at risk, 165 of whom are subject to police investigations.

It is the first time such figures have been made available.

The publishing of the figures, which were obtained by BBC Radio Manchester, follows a number of convictions across the country, including that of nine men in May 2012 who ran a child sex exploitation ring in Rochdale.

The case led to a review of child protection services in the town.

Assistant Chief Constable Dawn Copley said the issue had become one of the force's "top priorities, reflected in the multi-agency teams now in place in Rochdale, Manchester, Salford, Tameside, Stockport and Oldham".

She said the success of the teams in those areas meant the force was "planning to roll them out" across the rest of Greater Manchester.

She added that while there were 165 young people considered at direct risk, all the cases were "continually reviewed and any that meet the police threshold for a potential criminal investigation will be picked up by detectives".

The number of children currently at risk of being sexually exploited as listed by each Greater Manchester authority:

• Bolton - 32
• Bury - 37
• Manchester - 100
• Oldham - 40
• Rochdale - 54
• Salford - 29
• Stockport - 23
• Trafford - 52
• Tameside - 31
• Wigan - 38