Two teenage boys have been charged with rape and other offences after a vulnerable young woman and two teenage girls were allegedly attacked at addresses across North Somerset, western Somerset and Cornwall. Avon and Somerset Police confirmed the charges, which follow an investigation into alleged assaults spanning multiple locations, though full details have not yet been made public as the case is ongoing.

A 17-year-old boy faces three counts of raping a girl under 16, plus one count of non-fatal strangulation and one of assault causing actual bodily harm. A 16-year-old boy is charged with three counts of raping a girl under 16, one count of raping a woman aged 16 or over, and single counts of non-fatal strangulation and actual bodily harm. Both defendants are from Somerset and cannot be named for legal reasons; they were remanded into youth detention after appearing at Taunton Magistrates' Court on Wednesday and will next appear at Taunton Crown Court on Friday 25 September.