Peterborough restaurant closed in police rape inquiry Published duration 20 January

image copyright Terry-Harris.com image caption The Middle Eastern restaurant has been closed as part of a police investigation

A restaurant has been closed down by police investigating the rape of two teenage girls.

Officers said they had "reasonable grounds" to suspect the Babylon Restaurant in Peterborough has been used for serious child sex offences.

Five people - including three 18-year-old men and a 16-year-old boy - have been arrested on suspicion of rape.

Supt Andy Gipp, of Cambridgeshire Police, said the closure was part of an "ongoing investigation".

Officers said the restaurant and shisha lounge on Lincoln Road was issued with a 48-hour temporary closure order citing the Sexual Offences Act 2003, on 15 January.

Two days later, they said an application was successfully made to magistrates to shut the premises down for three months.

The order states there are "reasonable grounds for believing that in the past three months the premises were used for activities related to a specific child sex offence, or the premises are likely to be used for such activities".

Police said the two teenagers were attacked during the weekend of 11-12 January.

"Where we suspect such activity to have taken place, we will not tolerate it and will tackle it robustly in the community," Supt Gipp said.

"We will continually investigate and identify such places and use this legislation to prevent further offences."

A 27-year-old man, three 18-year-old men and a 16-year-old boy were arrested in connection with the investigation into the rapes, and have been bailed until February.