No further action over Islam school arrests

Lancashire police have said no further action will be taken against three men arrested after an investigation into an Islamic school for girls in Lancaster

Police were called to the Jamea Al Kauthar school to investigate claims of sexual assault and false imprisonment.

Detectives executed a search warrant and arrested the three men earlier this month.

Police have said no further action will be taken as "none of the conduct disclosed ... meets the threshold for criminal prosecution".

Two men were bailed and one released without charge after allegations of sexual abuse and false imprisonment were reported at an Islamic school.

The three men were arrested after an incident was reported at the Jamea al Kauthar school in Lancaster on Saturday.

Superintendent Andy Webster of Lancashire Constabulary has said that searches are ongoing at an Islamic school for girls following reports of sexual abuse, but that it is being treated as an "isolated incident".

He added that detectives were trying to identify the alleged victims and that it is not known whether they are current or former pupils at the school.

Police investigating sexual abuse claims at an Islamic girls' school in Lancaster have set up dedicated phone lines for concerned families, both in the UK and abroad.

Three men were arrested at the Jamea al Kauthar school after an incident was reported to police on Saturday.

The number for parents in the UK is 0800 092 0410 and for those calling from outside the UK call 0207 158 0124.”

The Jamea al Kauthar school in Lancaster, which is being searched following reports of sexual assault and false imprisonment, is a private boarding school for Islamic girls.

According to its website, Jamea al Kauthar started with 60 girls in September 1996 and presently caters for 440 residential girls between the ages of 11 and 20 from all over the world.

It continues: "We provide an opportunity to study the traditional sciences concurrently with secondary and further education.

"Jamea al Kauthar also offers the 'Tahfeez Ul Quraan' programme [committing the whole quran to memory] and a two year abridged version of the Islamic Teaching programme in the English medium."

Police have arrested three men on suspicion of sexual assault and false imprisonment within the grounds of an Islamic girls' school in Lancaster.

A 40-year-old and 30-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and false imprisonment and a 53-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment. All three are currently in custody.

Searches are being conducted at the school by female officers.

Police have arrested three men on suspicion of sexual assault and false imprisonment within the grounds of an Islamic girls' school in Lancaster.

The school, Jamea Al Kauthar, has released a statement:

Police have arrested three men on suspicion of sexual assault and false imprisonment within the grounds of an Islamic girls' school in Lancaster.

A 40-year-old man from Bolton and a 30-year-old man from Blackburn have been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and false imprisonment and a 53-year-old man from Blackburn has been arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment.

All are currently in custody.

Searches are being conducted at the school by female officers.

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment and sexual assault following an incident within the grounds of an Islamic girls’ school.

Police say they are investigating reports surrounding the welfare of a small group of teenage girls in the grounds of the Islamic School for Girls in Lancaster.

Three men have been arrested in connection with the investigation.

A 40-year-old man from Bolton and a 30-year-old man from Blackburn have been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and false imprisonment and a 53-year-old man from Blackburn has been arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment.