By . Rob Preece . PUBLISHED: . 03:59 EST, 22 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:24 EST, 22 August 2012 . Criticism: Manchester MP Tony Lloyd has questioned why it took police more than 11 weeks to release CCTV images of two suspects in an investigation into the rape of a 14-year-old boy . Detectives investigating the rape of a 14-year-old boy in a department store have been criticised for waiting more than 11 weeks before making a public appeal for information about the crime. An MP has questioned why it took police so long to release CCTV images of two suspects wanted for questioning over the attack, which happened in Manchester city centre on June 2. Greater Manchester Police only released the images yesterday - almost three months after the incident happened in a toilet in a Debenhams store. Tony Lloyd, the MP for Manchester Central and Labour's candidate for Greater Manchester's first police commissioner, said it was 'common sense' that issuing the pictures sooner would have helped the investigation. He said: 'There is unease about why it has taken so long for those pictures to be released. 'I think the police do have to give a detailed answer at to why this delay took place. 'It’s not easy in situations like this, [given] the need to respect the victim. 'But I think common sense tells most . people that early publication of CCTV both helps the police, because . members of the public hopefully come forward and help identify the . attacker, and of course, in the worse case, it would help prevent an . early repetition.' The boy's ordeal began when he used a public toilet in Manchester's Arndale Centre and became aware of two men staring at him. Scroll down for video . Suspects: Police released these CCTV images more than 11 weeks after the attack , which happened in a department store . Suddenly one of the men approached him and said: ‘Come with us, do what we say and if you try to run, we’ll get you.’ The boy was then frogmarched by the men – one white and the other Asian – out of the Arndale Centre in Manchester. Led by the arm, he was forcibly taken about 50 yards away to the nearby Debenhams store. As shoppers and staff walked around . the four-storey department store, oblivious to the boy’s ordeal, the . teenager was forced into a lift by the two men. He was taken by the lift upstairs, where he was marched into a men’s toilet and raped by the Asian man. Yesterday a police source said the attack was ‘absolutely horrendous’. Scene: The boy was raped in a toilet in this Debenhams store in Manchester city centre . The source said: ‘The attack on a . child in a busy department store on a Saturday afternoon will put fear . and dread into the heart of every parent. ‘If teenagers are not safe from paedophile predators in the heart of a busy city, then it is extremely worrying.’ The teenager reported the incident and was taken to a rape crisis centre at St Mary’s Hospital where he was checked by doctors. A team of officers has been working . with the traumatised victim to build up a picture of what happened and . to obtain forensic evidence. Greater Manchester Police said . the CCTV images of the men were circulated to local businesses and they . had waited for the results of forensic tests, which took some time to . complete. The force said it also had to wait for the boy to be video-interviewed before making a public appeal. Speaking as the CCTV images were . released, Detective Sergeant Liam Boden said: ‘This young victim has . been absolutely devastated by what happened to him. ‘What makes this incident doubly . shocking is that he was marched across a busy part of the city centre . during the late afternoon on Saturday. 'Devastated': The boy was attacked after being approached by two men in the Arndale Centre in Manchester . Investigation: Police are confident that Manchester shoppers may have seen the boy's attackers either before or after the incident . ‘However, this means I am confident that shoppers may have seen the offenders either before or after the incident. ‘I want people to take a good look at the men in these images and tell me who they are.’ His colleague, Superintendent Stuart . Ellison, said: ‘When you think about a 14-year-old out in the city . centre at that time of the evening, when the footfall is pretty heavy . and there are a lot of people about, the fact that someone could be . marched across the street and into a store in this way is pretty . horrific.’ He added that he found the attack . ‘particularly disturbing’, saying: ‘When I think about family or friends . who could have been out in the Arndale at that time of night, it . disturbs me greatly.’ A spokesman for Debenhams said: 'We were shocked to hear about this incident and would like to reassure everyone this is an isolated case.'
Boy, 14, was attacked in toilet of a Debenhams store in Manchester city centre on June 2 .
Detectives at Greater Manchester Police made public appeal for information only yesterday .
Manchester Central MP Tony Lloyd questions why it took police so long to release CCTV images of suspects .
By . Rob Preece . PUBLISHED: . 03:59 EST, 22 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:24 EST, 22 August 2012 . Criticism: Manchester MP Tony Lloyd has questioned why it took police more than 11 weeks to release CCTV images of two suspects in an investigation into the rape of a 14-year-old boy . Detectives investigating the rape of a 14-year-old boy in a department store have been criticised for waiting more than 11 weeks before making a public appeal for information about the crime. An MP has questioned why it took police so long to release CCTV images of two suspects wanted for questioning over the attack, which happened in Manchester city centre on June 2. Greater Manchester Police only released the images yesterday - almost three months after the incident happened in a toilet in a Debenhams store. Tony Lloyd, the MP for Manchester Central and Labour's candidate for Greater Manchester's first police commissioner, said it was 'common sense' that issuing the pictures sooner would have helped the investigation. He said: 'There is unease about why it has taken so long for those pictures to be released. 'I think the police do have to give a detailed answer at to why this delay took place. 'It’s not easy in situations like this, [given] the need to respect the victim. 'But I think common sense tells most . people that early publication of CCTV both helps the police, because . members of the public hopefully come forward and help identify the . attacker, and of course, in the worse case, it would help prevent an . early repetition.' The boy's ordeal began when he used a public toilet in Manchester's Arndale Centre and became aware of two men staring at him. Scroll down for video . Suspects: Police released these CCTV images more than 11 weeks after the attack , which happened in a department store . Suddenly one of the men approached him and said: ‘Come with us, do what we say and if you try to run, we’ll get you.’ The boy was then frogmarched by the men – one white and the other Asian – out of the Arndale Centre in Manchester. Led by the arm, he was forcibly taken about 50 yards away to the nearby Debenhams store. As shoppers and staff walked around . the four-storey department store, oblivious to the boy’s ordeal, the . teenager was forced into a lift by the two men. He was taken by the lift upstairs, where he was marched into a men’s toilet and raped by the Asian man. Yesterday a police source said the attack was ‘absolutely horrendous’. Scene: The boy was raped in a toilet in this Debenhams store in Manchester city centre . The source said: ‘The attack on a . child in a busy department store on a Saturday afternoon will put fear . and dread into the heart of every parent. ‘If teenagers are not safe from paedophile predators in the heart of a busy city, then it is extremely worrying.’ The teenager reported the incident and was taken to a rape crisis centre at St Mary’s Hospital where he was checked by doctors. A team of officers has been working . with the traumatised victim to build up a picture of what happened and . to obtain forensic evidence. Greater Manchester Police said . the CCTV images of the men were circulated to local businesses and they . had waited for the results of forensic tests, which took some time to . complete. The force said it also had to wait for the boy to be video-interviewed before making a public appeal. Speaking as the CCTV images were . released, Detective Sergeant Liam Boden said: ‘This young victim has . been absolutely devastated by what happened to him. ‘What makes this incident doubly . shocking is that he was marched across a busy part of the city centre . during the late afternoon on Saturday. 'Devastated': The boy was attacked after being approached by two men in the Arndale Centre in Manchester . Investigation: Police are confident that Manchester shoppers may have seen the boy's attackers either before or after the incident . ‘However, this means I am confident that shoppers may have seen the offenders either before or after the incident. ‘I want people to take a good look at the men in these images and tell me who they are.’ His colleague, Superintendent Stuart . Ellison, said: ‘When you think about a 14-year-old out in the city . centre at that time of the evening, when the footfall is pretty heavy . and there are a lot of people about, the fact that someone could be . marched across the street and into a store in this way is pretty . horrific.’ He added that he found the attack . ‘particularly disturbing’, saying: ‘When I think about family or friends . who could have been out in the Arndale at that time of night, it . disturbs me greatly.’ A spokesman for Debenhams said: 'We were shocked to hear about this incident and would like to reassure everyone this is an isolated case.'
making a public appeal for information about the crime. An MP has questioned why it took police so long to release CCTV images of two suspects happened in Manchester city centre on June 2. Greater Manchester Police only released the store. Tony Lloyd, the MP for Manchester Central in a toilet in this Debenhams store in Manchester