From that article:
”Ireland was convicted of multiple offences including three counts of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, one count of sexual assault of a child under 13, arranging a child sex offence, and six counts of making indecent images of children.
Sutton was found guilty of three counts of making indecent photographs of children and possession of an extreme pornographic image. He was cleared of six counts of conspiracy to sexually assault a child. Ireland was convicted of one count of that offence but cleared of five. Both men were acquitted of conspiracy to kidnap.”
At least the police pursued these offences and it wasn’t just swept under the carpet. Perhaps it would be too cynical to ascribe that to the sex and sexuality of the victim and perpetrators…
But it’s a different response to the one so many of the young women, assaulted at similar ages (and plied with drinks and drugs in much the same way) got in Oldham etc.