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Nightclub lets 14-year-old suspect walk away after 'woman raped in toilets’

A 14-year-old was arrested after a woman was raped in Bloom Nightclub. (Google)
A 14-year-old was arrested after a woman was raped in Bloom Nightclub. (Google)

A nightclub failed to call police after a woman was allegedly raped by a 14-year-old boy in the toilets, a licensing review has been told.

Police were called to Bloom nightclub in Manchester's Gay Village on Bloom Street just after 5am on Wednesday.

The boy was arrested on suspicion of rape and has since been bailed pending further investigation, Greater Manchester Police said.

A licensing panel was told police believe the teenager got into the club using a false ID and was allowed to leave after being detained in the aftermath of the alleged attack, Manchester Evening News reports.

Officers said the victim is being supported by specialist services and a number of lines of inquiry are being followed up.

The nightclub's licence has now been suspended pending a full review.

A licensing hearing was told the venue did not call police. (Google)
A licensing hearing was told the venue did not call police. (Google)

According to the police report submitted to the local authority, security found two people in a toilet cubicle in the male toilets, but allowed them to remain in there and left.

The report also said the teenager was detained outside the premises, but was allowed to leave after the woman said she did not want the police to be contacted.

PC Stuart Hammersley told councillors that after one of her friends called the police, but the nightclub should have contacted authorities.

He said: "That's one of the most surprising things of everything that's gone on.

"If it was a very minor incident, if somebody had been pushed or punched and it's not a serious injury, and they didn't want the police involved, I can understand why they would take that on board and not necessarily contact us.

"But given the grave nature of this, I'm shocked that they didn't contact us to say what had happened and to say they had this person detained and leave that for the victim's friend to contact us directly herself afterwards.

"The opportunity for the male to be detained at the scene and any forensic opportunities were lost. Despite the victim at that stage not wishing to get the police involved, I think really it's incumbent on the premises to contact us either way."

Bloom nightclub issued a statement on Thursday saying it had closed “to allow for a complete investigation”.

It said: “Due to the severity of an incident which occurred in the club on Wednesday, Bloom Manchester will be closed to allow for a complete investigation to take place.”

Yahoo News UK has contacted Bloom Nightclub for further comment.