Four Weston teenagers charged with rape

The Crown Prosecution Service has charged four teenagers in connection with a rape investigation in Weston-super-Mare.

Detectives from Avon & Somerset Police’s specialist serious sexual offences investigation team, Operation Bluestone, coordinated the arrests after receiving a report about a woman being threatened and raped at a property on Sunday 21 June.

The increased police activity on Thursday last was linked to the arrests of the four males.

The four people charged are:

• Tommy Campbell, 19 and from Weston-super-Mare, has been charged with six counts of rape, one count of sexual assault, one count of false imprisonment, and one count of assault causing actual bodily harm.

  
  

• Rio Welling, 18 and from Weston-super-Mare, has been charged with two counts of rape and one count of false imprisonment.

  
  

• A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named because of his age, has been charged with three counts of rape, one count of false imprisonment, and one count of assault causing actual bodily harm.

  
  

• A second 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named because of his age, has been charged with one count of rape, and one count of assault causing actual bodily harm.

  
  

They were all remanded in custody to appear at Taunton Magistrates’ Court later today (11 July).

Detective Inspector Natalie Thatcher said:

“Our investigation into this incredibly serious incident has been taking place over the past few weeks and the charges authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service are a significant milestone.

“The victim has been updated by specially trained officers who will continue to provide her with as much support as she needs.

“We are aware the co-ordinated pre-planned arrest attempts across Weston and Worle on Thursday did cause some local concern, which is why we wanted to be transparent around why they were necessary. We would like to thank people for their patience while those enquiries were carried out.”