Police closed an investigation after a missing 16-year-old girl reported she was gang-raped despite “clear allegation and evidence”.

Wiltshire Police closed the investigation into the “vulnerable” teen after investigators deemed there was “no offence”.

It is one of the most shocking revelations in a new report that found the county’s police force is not doing enough to protect children.

It is one of many case studies Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) highlighted in their recent inspection.

The 16-year-old girl, who had a mental health vulnerability and was at risk of child sexual exploitation, had been reported missing to police.

Wiltshire Police did not make a missing person record, public protection notice or refer it to children’s social care services.

When she returned, she told her mother and social worker that “she had been raped by three males, and that they had filmed the events and sent her the images online”.

“She complained of internal bleeding and injuries to her head and lip,” the report reads.

A detective spoke to the child, but the report found “there wasn’t a child-centred investigation”.

“The officer didn’t record what she said on the force’s investigation system. And they didn’t arrange medical care or a forensic medical examination.

“The child’s phone wasn’t examined for evidence. There was no video interview to obtain her account for evidence.

“There was no assessment of the risk from the three suspects who were in touch with the victim.”

The investigating officer and the supervisor reviewed the case, but recorded "they thought the victim had consented to sex and that there was no offence of rape”.

The force closed the investigation, “despite a clear allegation and evidence on the victim’s phone”.

It failed to record and investigate an offence of making and distributing indecent images of a child.

The report continues: “We asked the force to review this incident and it accepted that it needed to change its response.

"All the offences are now recorded, and investigations and safeguarding plans are in action.”

Other shocking case studies include a 15-year-old boy, who has autism, ADHD and had self-harmed, who was reported missing after his mum found him missing in the morning and that he had taken toiletries and extra clothing.

The force knew he was vulnerable to exploitation, but the call handler did not complete a risk assessment – and it took 12 hours for the first review of the investigation after it was allocated as a “medium-risk missing person investigation” and assigned to community policing team officers.

He was found the next morning in another county.

But positives were also highlighted in the report.

Inspectors said there was “exemplary focus on the voice of the child” in one incident where two young children had witnessed their mother being abused.

The responding officers’ response was “professional and compassionate, with a clear focus on the welfare of the children”.

The effect of the incident on the children’s welfare was recorded and sent to a multi-agency support hub, and the children were given child protection plans.

“The force made a timely referral to the multi-agency risk assessment conference to co-ordinate support for the family.

“The offender was arrested. A successful evidence-based prosecution using the material gathered by the officers resulted in a criminal conviction.”

In a statement, Wiltshire Police said that it has already developed a “comprehensive plan” to address recommendations in the report.

You can read more of that statement, and the findings of the report, here.