Havering man one of eight arrested over alleged rape of girl under 16

Eight men have been arrested on suspicion of the rape of a girl under 16.

Police arrested the men in a pre-planned operation this morning, targeting nine addresses in Havering, Newham, and Redbridge at around 5am.

They also went to a house in Hertfordshire.

The arrested men, who are in custody at an east London police station, are five 23-year-old men, two 24-year-old men and a 21-year-old man.

The investigation was launched by detectives from the Met Police’s Sapphire Command following an allegation relating to alleged offences between May and November 2012.