‘Sickening’ claims of children sold for sex

Police are to investigate claims that children as young as 12 are routinely being sold for sex in one of Scotland’s most deprived areas.

Locals in the Govanhill area of Glasgow spoke of being offered Roma children for sex or being approached outside bars by youngsters themselves.

It was reported that in September 2015 Crosshill and Govanhill Community Council recorded in minutes that an “issue had been raised regarding child prostitution within Govanhill” and children were seen to be wandering the streets at night.

Police said they have “no information or intel- ligence to substantiate the concerns” but that they will carry out a full investigation into the claims.

Residents of Govanhill – which has the highest Roma population in Scotland – said more needed to be done to tackle the problem.

Olive Arens, chief executive of Up-2-Us, a charity that works with vulnerable teenagers, said: “The sexual exploitation of Roma children in Govanhill is a long-standing issue and has been for 10 years or more.”

Chief superintendent Brian McInulty, Police Scotland’s area commander for Glasgow, said Glasgow Child Protection Committee, with numerous statutory and voluntary agencies, has “robust child protection procedures” in place.

Scottish Liberal Demo- crat justice spokesman Liam McArthur said the claims such activity is happening are “sickening” and has called for an emergency statement to Holyrood.

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: “We are fully alert to the risk of child sexual exploitation in Glasgow. This issue is being treated with the utmost seriousness at the highest level within the council.”