Rochdale gang responsible of raping and abusing women for 5 years

Seven males have been discovered responsible of sexually exploiting two teenage women who have been repeatedly raped and assaulted in Rochdale for 5 years.

The gang was convicted at Manchester Minshull Road Crown Courtroom of varied sexual offences in opposition to the women between 2001 and 2006.

The victims, often called Woman A and Woman B, have been groomed from the age of 13 and handled as “sex slaves”, being anticipated to “have sex with the men whenever and wherever they wanted”, the trial heard.

Woman A advised the jury she had been focused by greater than 200 males, whereas Woman B mentioned social employees had regarded her as “a prostitute” from the age of 10.

The courtroom heard that each women had “deeply troubled home lives” and have been plied with medication, alcohol and cigarettes and given locations to remain by the boys, who labored in town’s market or as taxi drivers.

Woman B, who was dwelling in a youngsters’s residence when she got here into contact with the boys in the marketplace, mentioned police and social employees knew what was occurring however “weren’t concerned enough to do anything about it”.

“It was in my file, when I looked it up. I read it,” the lady, now aged in her 30s, advised the courtroom.

“I was picked up by the police for loitering and prostituting from the age of 10.”

Three of the abusers, Mohammed Zahid, 64, the chief of the gang, Mustaq Ahmed, 67, and Kasir Bashir, 50, have been stallholders in the marketplace.

Father-of-three Zahid, who was often called Boss Man, gave free underwear from his lingerie stall to the women, who didn’t know one another.

He additionally gifted them with cash, alcohol and meals in return for the expectation of standard intercourse with him and his mates, the courtroom heard.

In 2016, Zahid was jailed for 5 years in an earlier grooming gang case after he engaged in sexual exercise in 2006 with a 15-year-old lady who he met when she visited his stall to purchase tights for varsity.

Bashir didn’t attend the present trial after he absconded whereas on bail earlier than the trial obtained beneath method.

It may well now be reported that Mohammed Shahzad, 44, Naheem Akram, 48, and Nisar Hussain, 41, have been remanded in custody in January.

Police obtained intelligence that the three taxi drivers, who have been born in Rochdale, have been planning to go away the UK and had already paid a deposit for his or her transport.

The seventh defendant Roheez Khan, 39, additionally featured in one other earlier Rochdale grooming trial in 2013.

He was ailed for six-and-a-half years as one among 5 males convicted of sexually exploiting a “profoundly vulnerable” 15-year-old lady in 2008 and 2009.

Through the newest trial, a second jury was required after issues that one authentic juror – regarded as an ex-police officer – could be racist.

The prosecution didn’t oppose the appliance and a second jury was sworn in shortly after.

Jurors deliberated for 3 weeks earlier than delivering their unanimous responsible verdicts.

• Zahid, of, Station Street, Crumpsall, was convicted of raping Woman A and Woman B, offences of indecency with a baby and procuring a baby to have intercourse
• Ahmed, of Corona Avenue, Oldham, and Bashir, of Napier Road East, Oldham, have been convicted of a number of counts of rape and indecency with a baby, in relation to Woman B
• Shahzad, of Beswicke Royds Road, Rochdale, Akram, of Manley Street, Rochdale, Hussain, of New Discipline Shut, Rochdale, and Khan, of Athole Road, Rochdale, have been convicted of a number of counts of rape in opposition to Woman A
• Khan was discovered responsible of a single rely of rape in opposition to Woman A

Through the trial the prosecution provided no proof in opposition to an eighth defendant, Arfan Khan, 41, of Rochdale, who was cleared of varied sexual offences.

Following the verdicts, Det Supt Alan Clitherow, from Better Manchester Police’s CSE workforce, mentioned the power ought to have executed extra on the time.

“What is clear is the way those victims were dealt with at the time is indefensible and inexcusable,” he mentioned.

“There was information at the time that police and other agencies could and should have done something with and we didn’t.

“We have now made complete apologies for that.”

He said the force had since improved on how these investigations are managed.

All the men were prosecuted as part of Operation Lytton, an ongoing investigation by the force into historical child sexual exploitation in the town.

A total of 37 suspects have been charged so far, with five more trials scheduled to take place from September.

The NSPCC said the “appalling, ruthless exploitation” of these vulnerable girls highlighted the need for children to be able to speak out and warned that adults must educate themselves on the signs of grooming.

“Little one sexual abuse can have profound and long-lasting penalties on those that expertise it,” the charity added.