Disappearance of Charlene Downes

Uncommon card · No. 98729

On 1 November 2003, Charlene Elizabeth Caroline Downes, a 14‑year‑old girl from Blackpool in north‑west England, disappeared from the town centre. She was last seen in an area containing several takeaway and fast‑food outlets, and police believe she was murdered within hours of the final sighting. She has not been found. Two men were tried in May 2007 – one for her murder and the other for assisting in the disposal of her body – but the jury failed to reach a verdict. A re‑trial was planned, but both men were released in April 2008 after concerns were raised about the reliability of key evidence. Lancashire Constabulary believe that, for a prolonged period before her disappearance, Downes had been subjected to child sexual abuse by one or more men. Detectives interviewed around 3,000 people and uncovered evidence that she and other local girls had been a victim of localised grooming, being offered to swap sex for food, cigarettes, and affection, which is a form of child sexual exploitation...

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