Seven men have been charged in connection with a major child sexual exploitation investigation in Norfolk, involving a total of 40 alleged offences, British authorities said.
The suspects, all Afghan nationals with refugee status, are accused of rape and other serious child sex offences committed between August 2023 and May 2025. According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the charges relate to two victims who were in their early to mid-teens at the time of the alleged abuse.
The case forms part of a wider investigation into suspected group-based grooming activity in Norwich, which began in September 2023 following a disclosure from a young girl. Police have since carried out multiple arrests, including coordinated raids on seven addresses—six in Norwich and one in Dumbarton, Scotland. Six of the suspects had previously been arrested in connection with the inquiry.
The defendants—aged between 20 and 23—face a range of charges, including multiple counts of rape, conspiracy to rape, facilitating human trafficking, and perverting the course of justice. Authorities said five of the men arrived in the UK by small boat between 2021 and 2022, while others entered the country via a lorry or ferry port.
Police clarified that none of the suspects had lived in asylum hotels in Norfolk, and none of the alleged offences took place in such accommodation.
Jenny Hopkins, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS’s organised child sexual abuse unit, said there was sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that prosecution was in the public interest.
Detective Superintendent Stacey Murray said the victims’ safety and wellbeing remain the top priority, adding that a dedicated team continues to gather evidence while supporting those affected.
