Hundreds Of Officers Swoop On Former Orphanage In Huge Probe Into Forced Marriage And Sexual Abuse in Cheshire

Hundreds of officers swooped on a former orphanage in Crewe yesterday morning as part of a major investigation into allegations of forced marriage and sexual abuse in Cheshire. More than 500 officers from Cheshire Police and neighbouring forces executed warrants at three addresses linked to the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light shortly after 8:50 a.m. on Wednesday.

Nine people – six men and three women – were arrested on suspicion of serious sexual offences, forced marriage and modern slavery.

Huge Police Operation at Former Orphanage in Cheshire

The BBC reported that raids follow a report made to Cheshire Police in March by a woman who had previously belonged to the group. She alleged serious sexual offences, forced marriage and modern slavery said to have occurred in 2023. All the claims are understood to involve a single victim, a former member of the community. Police have stressed that the investigation is focused on specific allegations involving members rather than the religious group or its beliefs as a whole.

Chief Superintendent Gareth Wrigley of Cheshire Constabulary said: 'Today's operation is the outcome of a detailed and robust investigation into reports of serious sexual offences, forced marriage and modern slavery involving members of a religious group called Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light in Crewe.'

He added that the force was treating the matter with the utmost seriousness and had been supported by officers from across the northwest. The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light relocated to Crewe from Sweden in 2021 and maintains a low profile in the town, with residents living communally at the former orphanage site which has been described as heavily guarded.

Allegations Centre on One Former Member

The operation centred on Webb House, the group's headquarters in the Cheshire town. The Grade II-listed building, once a children's orphanage, now houses around 150 members of the community, including 56 children who are home-schooled.

Detectives continue to search the premises following the dawn raids and are examining evidence seized during the operation. Those arrested remain in police custody as inquiries progress, with no charges yet filed.

The force has appealed for anyone with relevant information to come forward. The deployment of more than 500 officers reflects the scale of the probe into forced marriage and sexual abuse in Cheshire, described by police as complex and ongoing. Searches at the three addresses were still under way late on Wednesday.

Community Life Comes Under Scrutiny

Webb House has been the UK base for the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light since the early 2020s. The community, which follows a branch of Islamic teaching rejected by mainstream Shia scholars, has kept largely to itself, with children receiving home education rather than attending local schools.

Local residents reported a significant police presence at dawn, with cordons in place around the properties for much of the day. One neighbour, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the scene as 'quite a sight' in the normally quiet area. LBC News reported on X that hundreds of police had swooped on the former orphanage in northern England as part of the major investigation.

As investigations continue, Cheshire Police has confirmed it will provide further updates as appropriate.