Teenage girl ‘raped at major UK festival’ with 16-year-old boy arrested

Ragley hall Warwickshire The Midlands England UK
The festival is held on the grounds of a large estate (Picture: Getty)

Police are on the scene at a popular UK music festival after a teenage girl was reportedly raped.

A 16-year-old boy from Redditch is currently being held in custody after reports of the assault at Camper Calling Festival, near Alcester, yesterday, around 11.40 pm.

The festival is held at Ragley Hall, and is described as a ‘family music festival’, drawing music lovers of all ages.

Those with information about the alleged assault are asked to reach out to Warwickshire Police.

Metro has contacted Camper Calling for a statement.

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Ragley Hall-Alcester-UK-August 23,2023 : A large brightly coloured flag lit by the sun on a blue sky summer day with Camper Calling sign at the music festival.Lake and tents visible in background; Shutterstock ID 2351418709; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -
The festival advertises itself as fun for family (Picture: Shutterstock)

It comes after earlier today, police launched another appeal to find a one-eyed man suspected of raping a teenage girl in Oxfordshire.

James Doran, 23, is believed to be involved in the rape of the young girl on Monday, August 11, in Banbury.

Police have described him as white, with short brown hair, a beard, and missing his right eye.

What to do if you’ve been raped

If you have been the victim of rape, either recently or historically, and are looking for help, support is out there.

  • If you have recently been raped and you are still at risk, ring 999 and ask for the police. Otherwise, the first step is to go somewhere you are safe.
  • If you want to report your rape to the police, ring 999 or the police non-emergency line on 101. An Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ISVA) will often be on hand to help you through reporting and even after you have made a statement, you can still decide to withdraw from the criminal justice process at any time.
  • If you plan on going to the police, if possible, do not wash your clothes or shower, bathe or brush your teeth. If you do get changed, keep the clothes you were wearing in a plastic bag. These steps will help to preserve any DNA evidence your attacker may have left on your body or clothes.
  • If you don’t want to contact the police, Rape Crisis suggest talking to someone you trust about what has happened; or you can ring one of the UK’s many rape and sexual assault helplines.
  • Anyone aged 16+ can contact Rape Crisis’s 24/7 Support Line by calling 0808 500 2222 or starting an online chat.
  • If you have been injured, you’re best advised to go to your nearest A&E to seek medical treatment. If you are uninjured, you can go to your nearest Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC). The NHS has information on where to find your nearest centre here.
  • If your rape is historic, you can still access support, including from the police – there is no time limit on reporting and your account can still be used as evidence.

Read more here.

Though he’s from Kidlington, officers believe he often visits areas across North Oxfordshire and South Warwickshire, as well as Hillingdon, London, and Leicestershire.

Investigating officer DI Becky Sargeant said: ‘We are urgently appealing for the public’s help in locating James Doran.

‘It is important that if you see him, please do not approach him, and instead call 999.’

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