Herringthorpe rape "did not take place"

The 16-year-old-girl claimed she had been attacked on The Lanes, near Badsley Moor Lane, on the night of March 31.

But Chief Supt Rob Odell, Rotherham commander, said officers had since learned that the incident did not take place.

“Since the report was received, we have had a dedicated team of officers working on this inquiry,” he said.

“This included reviewing CCTV footage from a number of sources, submitting numerous items for forensic analysis, obtaining statements and speaking to potential witnesses.

“We have since received information that confirms that this incident did not take place — this is reinforced by the extensive enquiries we have completed.”

Mr Odell added: “We appreciate how concerning this was to the local community and want to reassure residents that whenever we receive a report of this nature, we take it incredibly seriously and will do all we can to identify suspects and support victims.

“While we are confident this incident didn’t occur, we will work with our partner agencies to ensure that the complainant receives all of the support she needs as at the heart of this report is a child who requires support.”