Ten men arrested over a reported gang rape at Bluewater have had their bail extended for a further four months
Published: 17:00, 03 May 2016
Updated: 17:44, 03 May 2016
Ten men arrested over a reported gang rape have had their bail extended for a further four months.
Police are investigating after a woman in her 20s was allegedly sexually assaulted by a number of men while waiting for a bus home from Bluewater.
She was reportedly bundled into a van before being subjected to a sustained attack.
Eleven men were originally arrested by police after the incident on March 6, including one male as young as 16 and six other teenagers.
One of the 11 was released without charge and the rest were released on bail until this week.
Now, the suspects – who are all from Kent – have been released on bail again, this time until September.
Three males, aged 16 and 17 and 19, must appear before Kent Police again on September 9.
Another 17-year-old male and two men aged 20 and 23 must appear on September 8.
A 19-year-old man and two 18-year-olds have been rebailed until September 7.
Only one man is scheduled to be seen before the autumn; a 20-year-old whose bail has been extended three months, until July 28.
Police have confirmed they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the case and it is being treated as an isolated incident and investigated by the force’s major crime team.
The Kent constabulary only confirmed the reported incident last month, when the Messenger asked for information after an exclusive tip-off.
For that, they came in for a barrage of abuse on social media, with people questioning why details of such a serious assault were not made public immediately.
Police confirmed that none of those arrested were Muslim, after rumours circulated online.
A Bluewater spokeswoman reassured shoppers and workers that the shopping centre was covered by CCTV and security teams, and they were working alongside police.
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Lizzie Massey