Three men have been arrested over a case of alleged sexual assault and false imprisonment involving teenage girls at a private Islamic boarding school, police said Monday.
Lancashire police said the force had been warned of “concern for the welfare of a small group of teenage girls” at the Jamea al Kauthar Islamic school for girls in Lancaster, northwest England.
A 40-year-old man from Bolton and a 30-year-old man from Blackburn were arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and false imprisonment, while a third man — a 53-year-old from Blackburn — was arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment, police said in a statement.
All three are being held in custody while specialist female officers search the school.
“We are working closely with the school and the local authorities to establish the circumstances around exactly what has taken place and we have specialist officers supporting the victims,” the force said in a statement.
Jamea al Kauthar said on its website: “The school is aware of the allegations that have been made and at the present moment the school is fully co-operating with the police with their investigations into the matter.
“The school will publish a statement of any details it receives, once this has been received. We expect the matter to be cleared up soon.”
Some 401 students from around the world, of ages 11 and up, are currently enrolled at the selective school, according to its website.
Housed since its 1996 opening in a large campus that was once a Victorian hospital, it has been awarded the accolade “outstanding” by inspectors Ofsted.
It teaches the English core curriculum along with courses in Arabic, Urdu, the Koran and Islamic jurisprudence.
Three held after sexual assault claim at Islamic school
