Three members of a grooming gang that sexually abused teenage girls in Rhyl have lodged appeals against their convictions and sentences. The gang, which included four men and a woman, was jailed for a total of 81 years in September.
The victims, aged between 14 and 16 at the time, were deemed "easy prey" by a judge. Offences took place in cars, homes, and business premises in Denbighshire between April 2022 and March 2024.
Appeals lodged by three gang members
Mustafa Iqbal, 43, of Trellewelyn Road, Rhyl, has appealed against both his conviction and the length of his sentence. He was found guilty of four counts of rape, three counts of conspiracy to require a person to perform compulsory labour, three counts of sexual assault, three counts of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, two counts of conspiracy to traffic, conspiracy to supply cannabis, conspiracy to supply cocaine, supplying cannabis, arranging or facilitating the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, and breaching a slavery/trafficking risk order. He was jailed for 30 years.
Mohamed Arshad, 36, of Clifton Grove, Rhyl, has appealed against his conviction. He was found guilty of three counts of rape, two counts of conspiracy to traffic, two counts of conspiracy to require a person to perform compulsory labour, and supplying cannabis. He was jailed for 19 years.
Ziaullah Badshah, 25, of Brighton Road, Rhyl, has also appealed against his conviction. He was found guilty of two counts of rape, two counts of conspiracy to traffic, two counts of conspiracy to require a person to perform compulsory labour, and supplying cannabis. He was jailed for 17 years.
Judge's comments and accomplice's role
During sentencing, the judge described the ringleader Iqbal as having an "apparently uncontrollable" and "voracious" sexual appetite. Accomplice Sarah Gray "sold her soul" to Iqbal to obtain cocaine in return for allowing him to rape one victim in her house.
The other gang member, Jaswinder Singh, was also convicted in August of offences involving exploiting and abusing the three teenage girls.
Court of Appeal process
Judges at the Court of Appeal will now consider the applications. They will examine the grounds of appeal, such as points of law or any new evidence provided by the applicants or their lawyers.
If permission to appeal is granted, the cases will be prepared for a full appeal hearing in front of two or three appeal court judges.
