LEVENSHULME GANG LED BY BALTATU & CALIN SENTENCED FOR GROOMING AND SEXUAL ABUSE IN MANCHESTER

In September 2019, a disturbing case of child sexual exploitation emerged from the south Manchester area, specifically involving the Levenshulme neighborhood. The case centered around the heinous assault of a 12-year-old girl in Crowcroft Park, which marked the beginning of a brutal and relentless grooming campaign orchestrated through social media platforms, primarily Facebook.

According to court proceedings, the young girl was repeatedly attacked within the confines of Crowcroft Park in Levenshulme. The perpetrator responsible for her initial assault did not stop there; he continued to target other vulnerable children in the community. The victims were subjected to a barrage of messages on social media, where the offenders attempted to persuade them to meet up for sexual activities. This systematic grooming was part of a wider operation that police later uncovered.

The investigation, known as Operation Enfield, was only launched in December 2017 after a friend of the initial victim, who had also been targeted, confided in a care worker about the abuse. This crucial tip-off prompted authorities to begin a detailed inquiry, which eventually led to the identification of three victims and four men involved in the exploitation.

Police have confirmed that two of the victims were in care at the time—one residing in a children’s home and the other living with foster parents—while the remaining victims were living at home with their families. The ongoing investigation suggests that there may be additional victims, as detectives continue to pursue leads and gather evidence.

To combat the ongoing issues, authorities have taken measures to make Crowcroft Park less conducive to gang activity. Police have cut back trees and bushes and removed benches to increase visibility and discourage clandestine meetings. These efforts aim to prevent future exploitation and gang operations in the area.

Four men—brothers Sebastian Baltatu, aged 18, and Ilie Daniel Baltatu, aged 22; along with cousins Parizian Calin, aged 20, and Adrian Calin, aged 20—have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms, totaling over 25 years. Judge Suzanne Goddard described their conduct as ‘appalling,’ emphasizing that they were fully aware of their actions and that sexual offending had become normalized within their group. The judge also noted that many other members of the gang, all originally from Romania, had fled abroad and remain at large, with police actively hunting for them.

Victim impact statements read aloud in court painted a harrowing picture of the emotional toll inflicted by the abuse. One girl expressed her feelings of helplessness and anxiety, stating, “No words can explain what I was put through. At the time, I had no idea why it happened. My anxiety was getting worse and I hated being left on my own. Now I can’t even go in my corner shop without feeling scared. The impact this has had on my life has been unbelievable.” Another victim described her experience as “the worst time of her life,” feeling “completely taken advantage of,” and expressed concern that there may be more victims who have not yet come forward.

The court heard that the defendants, all members of the Romanian community in Manchester, exploited the vulnerabilities of the girls, many of whom were seeking friendship and a sense of belonging. The initial victim, who was just 12 when the abuse began, was raped by Sebastian Baltatu in Crowcroft Park and later subjected to multiple assaults by Parizian Calin. Calin even took her to a ‘brothel house’ in Levenshulme, where he attempted to have sex with her, and subsequently sent another Romanian man into the room to repeat the request.

Prosecutor Jonathan Savage detailed the persistent nature of the abuse, noting that Parizian Calin repeatedly pestered the girl for sex via social media, and on one occasion, after having sex with her in the park, he instructed her to wait while another man entered and asked her for oral sex. She was also taken to a house where she refused to have sex with Calin, only to be approached by a stranger who asked her for oral sex again. The relentless sexual demands from Calin were a central feature of the grooming campaign.

Another girl, under 13, was preyed upon by Ilie Baltatu, known as Daniel, who engaged her in sexual activity on three separate occasions. Additionally, Adrian Calin, another member of the group, enticed a 15-year-old girl into sexual activity after meeting her through Facebook messages. He later asked her to perform oral sex on him during a meet-up in his car. The court found all four men guilty after a trial, with Daniel Baltatu pleading guilty from the start.

In mitigation, defense attorneys argued that Parizian Calin, who had only one previous conviction for theft, was remorseful and that a prison sentence would be particularly difficult for him given his family situation, including a partner and a young daughter. Conversely, the prosecution highlighted that Sebastian Baltatu was only 14 when he committed his crimes and suggested he was ‘groomed himself,’ with co-defendants encouraging his participation. Sebastian, who has children, was also convicted of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and failing to stop in 2018, and was sentenced to 22 months in a youth detention and training order, with the license period due to commence in October.

Daniel Baltatu, who also has a prior theft conviction, was described as remorseful and took responsibility for his actions. He was sentenced to eight years in prison for grooming, sexual activity with a child under 16, child abduction, inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and sexual assault of a child under 13. Adrian Calin received a year in a young offender institution for inciting a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity. Parizian Calin was handed a 13-year sentence for multiple counts of rape, facilitating child sexual offenses, and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

All four men were ordered to register as sex offenders. Parizian and Ilie Daniel Baltatu were also subjected to Sexual Harm Prevention Orders. Superintendent Rebecca Boyce of GMP’s City Division emphasized the bravery of the victims and the importance of ongoing investigations. She stated that the grooming operation was sophisticated and that other victims might still be identified. The police have established a specialized safeguarding hub at Greenheys Police Station, involving multiple agencies working together to combat child sexual exploitation.

In an effort to prevent similar crimes, police have engaged with the Romany and Romanian communities in south Manchester, conducting patrols and community briefings to avoid backlash and ensure community safety. Crowcroft Park, identified as the epicenter of the grooming activities, has undergone a crime reduction assessment, with environmental modifications and increased patrols to deter future offenses. Superintendent Boyce reaffirmed the police’s commitment to monitoring the area and ensuring that parks do not become venues for such criminal behavior, emphasizing the ongoing vigilance required to protect vulnerable children in the community.