Operation Marksman was initiated in the spring of 2019 and ended two years later after 34 arrests for which no charges were filed.
In the city of Hull, Humberside Police have reopened an inquiry into organized child abuse.
The case was closed in June 2021, but five months later.
This morning, claimed victims were informed that the case was being reopened, and Humberside police issued a statement saying they had “decided to form a new investigative team and resume the inquiry.”
Jim Gamble, the former head of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection department, concluded after reviewing the women’s diaries, texts, school reports, photographs of injuries, and statements that there was “strong corroboration” and the case should proceed to court.
He continued, “Should they require greater evidence, they should seek it out.”
Humberside police conducted a two-year investigation known as Operation Marksmen.
There were thirty-four arrests, 200 digital devices were seized from suspects for forensic analysis, and more than one hundred thousand text messages were reviewed. However, no one was charged with abuse crimes.
Officers determined that the evidence did not meet the Crown Case Service’s threshold for proceeding with a prosecution.
Nevertheless, the force invited the external Hydrant Programme team, which evaluates sexual abuse allegations, to conduct a thorough examination of the investigation’s evidence.
Assistant Chief Constable David Marshall then stated, “Based on Hydrant’s analysis of Op Marksman’s evidence, Humberside Police have decided to form a new investigating team and restart the inquiry.
“The investigation team will focus on multiple lines of inquiry while keeping the victims informed and providing them with our full support.
“The Humberside Police Department recognizes the enormous public interest in claims of child sexual abuse and exploitation in our communities.
“As long as the investigation is ongoing, its integrity must be protected. When we reach a point where the release of additional material would not affect or jeopardize any criminal or judicial processes, we will seek to make this information public.
