Asian men suspects over 'grooming'

The suspects, aged between 20 and 40, from Rochdale and Heywood in Greater Manchester, were arrested on suspicion of causing or inciting child prostitution, sexual activity with a child under 16 and paying for the sexual services of a child.

The arrests, made last month, were part of an investigation into the sexual exploitation of teenage girls by men since 2008, Greater Manchester Police said. All the men have since been released on bail pending further inquiries.

The arrests emerged following last week's jailing of two Asian men at Nottingham Crown Court for raping and sexually abusing their white victims after previously grooming them.

Former Home Secretary Jack Straw claimed the case was evidence of a specific problem among young men in the UK's Pakistani community.