UK police
Gordon Anglesea was the 18th person to be arrested under Operation Pallial Reuters

A retired police chief has been arrested on suspicion of physical and sexual assaults of boys as young as eight, it has been revealed.

Former North Wales Police superintendent Gordon Anglesea, 76, was arrested over allegations that he assaulted seven children aged from 8-16 between 1975 and 1983.

Anglesea, of Old Colwyn, was arrested as part of Operation Pallial, an investigation into claims of sexual abuse at 18 north Wales children's homes between 1963 and 1992.

He was arrested as part of the investigation in December and has been released on bail until April. Anglesea – a Rotary Club member and Freemason – was the 18<sup>th person to be arrested as part of the operation.

A National Crime Agency spokesman said: "Officers arrested a 76-year-old man on suspicion of a number of physical and sexual assaults."

Only one person has been charged under Operation Pallial.