Norwegian police investigating ‘several’ cases of sexual abuse against children at refugee centres

Last year, more than 31,000 people applied for asylum in Norway – 5,300 were unaccompanied minors

Agreements with Italy and Greece finalised months ago but the refugees are only just arriving (Getty)

Norwegian police are investigating several cases of sex offenders allegedly abusing children at asylum-seekers’ centres in the country.

The abuse in Norway was reported in the autumn and winter last year, Axel Wilhelm Due from the National Criminal Investigation Services told the Associated Press without providing figures or details except to say that there were "several" cases. The incidents, he added, included abuse by known sex offenders.

"We are looking very seriously at every individual case, and based on our information it's very likely that children living in reception centres in Norway have been and are being subjected to sexual abuse," he said. "But generally there is low criminal activity in and around the reception centres."

Last year, more than 31,000 people applied for asylum in Norway – 5,300 were unaccompanied minors.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Sweden, police said they have arrested 14 men on suspicion of preparing attacks on an asylum-seekers' centre near the capital, Stockholm.

Various weapons, but no firearms, were found in cars during the arrests on Monday evening in Nynashamn, 60 kilometers (35 miles) south of Stockholm, police spokesman Lars Bystrom said.

He didn't identify the men, but Swedish Radio cited local police officer Lars Alvarsjo as saying they were Polish, and possibly members of right-wing groups.

Associated Press