THIRTEEN men were still being held last night by detectives investigating a child sex ring believed to have targeted girls aged 11 to 16.

Twelve of the men were arrested in a series of coordinated dawn raids across the city yesterday involving more than 100 police officers, while the 13th was seized at about 1pm.

Police said they had identified 24 Oxford girls – aged between 11 and 16 – they believed were being groomed and then sold for sex, both within the county and in other areas.

And they fear there may be other victims not yet identified.

Det Supt Rob Mason said it was believed the girls did not know that money was changing hands and are believed to have travelled willingly with members of the ring for up to a weekend at a time.

The investigation was launched last year after social services and detectives began to piece together a trend of girls going missing from home.

Some of the girls confided in friends and families about the people they were with and the sexual practices they were engaged in, added Mr Mason.

Fourteen properties – the majority homes but some commercial premises – were raided.

Police are not identifying any of the addresses for fear of reprisals, but the Oxford Mail understands there were at least two in West Oxford and one in Cowley.

The investigation, codenamed Operation Bullfinch and led by Det Insp Simon Morton, is now focusing on incidents stretching back over the past six years.

Mr Mason said: “It has occured over a period of time and there may well be other victims.”

When asked how long the girls were going missing for, Mr Mason said: “It varies – overnight, a few hours, a weekend or so, it has varied. It is not an abduction.

“They have gone willingly.

“They have not understood what is happening to them.

“A number of them do not realise that they have been used in this way.

“We have highly-trained officers dealing with the victims and obviously we are being careful with them.

“Today is likely to be a shock to them.

“The decision-making process to carry out today’s operation was a balancing act between ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the victims involved and having sufficient evidence to bring a case before the courts.”

Mr Mason said Operation Bullfinch was targeting both the organisers and the “customers”.

Detectives are now hoping the girls will cooperate with their inquiry into the suspected exploitation.

Mr Mason said: “We are quite careful about appealing for people to come forward – the priority is that they get the immediate support that Childline can provide for them.”

Police officers and PCSOs were yesterday carrying out reassurance patrols in West Oxford and the city centre.

Suspects remain in police custody

FOUR men aged 21, 29, 34 and 37 were arrested on suspicion of causing prostitution of girls under the age of 18.

Police officers also arrested two men, aged 26 and 31, on suspicion of sexual activity with a child and a 30-year-old man and a 31-year-old both on suspicion of causing prostitution of girls under the age of 18, rape and administering drugs with intent to commit rape.

A 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing prostitution of girls under the age of 18 and rape and a 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of rape and grooming.

Detectives were last night also questioning a 23-year-old man on suspicion of sexual activity with a child and grooming, a 37-year-old man on suspicion of causing prostitution of girls under the age of 18, rape and administering drugs with intent to commit rape and a 34-year-old man on suspicion of causing prostitution of girls under the age of 18 and rape.

All were in police custody last night.

What the charges mean

CAUSING the prostitution of females under the age of 18 carries a maximum jail sentence of 14 years. Legal guidelines say children should be treated as a victim of abuse and consent is irrelevant.

Trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation is punishable with a jail term of up to 14 years and is defined as arranging the travel for a person who becomes a victim of a sex crime as defined by the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

Anyone who has sex with a child under the age of 13 has committed rape, and the maximum penalty is life imprisonment. The Sexual Offences Act 2003 states that a child under that age cannot lawfully give consent. Anyone who has sex with a girl aged between 13 and 16 could be charged with having unlawful sex.

Grooming is defined as communicating with children to arrange a meeting where they plan to commit a crime against that child as defined by the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Those convicted of it face a maximum of 10 years imprisonment. The offence is committed when the offender meets the child or travels with the intention of meeting the child, or arranges to meet the child, or the child travels with the intention of meeting the offender.