Four teenagers have been charged in connection with the alleged rape of a woman at a property in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset. Avon and Somerset Police confirmed they were alerted to reports of the incident on June 21.
Officers from the force's specialist serious sexual offences investigation team, Operation Bluestone, arrested the four individuals on Thursday. The Crown Prosecution Service has since authorized charges against them.
Tommy Campbell, 19, from Weston-Super-Mare, faces six counts of rape, one count of sexual assault, one count of false imprisonment, and one count of assault causing actual bodily harm. Rio Welling, 18, also from Weston-Super-Mare, has been charged with two counts of rape and one count of false imprisonment.
A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named due to his age, has been charged with three counts of rape, one count of false imprisonment, and one count of assault causing actual bodily harm. A second 17-year-old male is charged with one count of rape and one count of assault causing actual bodily harm.
All four were scheduled to appear at Taunton Magistrates' Court on Friday. Detective Inspector Natalie Thatcher stated that the investigation has been ongoing for several weeks and described the charges as a significant milestone. "The victim has been updated by specially trained officers who will continue to provide her with as much support as she needs," Thatcher said.
Police acknowledged that the coordinated arrests on Thursday may have caused local concern and expressed gratitude for public patience during the inquiries. "We wanted to be transparent around why they were necessary," Thatcher added.