Six men have denied being involved in historic sexual abuse of children as part of an alleged grooming gang in south Wales. They appeared at Cardiff Crown Court alongside three other men who have yet to enter pleas.
The nine men, all British citizens aged from 54 to 76, were arrested in July as part of an investigation into eight women's allegations that they were sexually abused as children in the 1980s and '90s.
Not Guilty Pleas Entered
The following six defendants entered not guilty pleas on Friday in relation to alleged offences against five victims:
- Shafaq Mohammed, 58, of Birmingham, denied six counts of rape, one count of buggery without consent, two counts of aiding and abetting rape, and two counts of causing prostitution. His self-defined ethnicity is Asian Pakistani.
- Syed Mohammad Ashan Taqvi, 65, of Newport, denied four counts of rape. His self-defined ethnicity is Asian Pakistani.
- Mohammed Sheikh Abdul Hannan, 54, of Edinburgh, denied one count of indecent assault, two counts of rape, three counts of aiding and abetting rape, and one count of conspiracy to rape. His self-defined ethnicity is British Bangladeshi.
- Kevin Lawrence, 54, of Dunoon, Argyll and Bute, denied one count of conspiracy to rape and one count of causing prostitution. His self-defined ethnicity is white European.
- Aminur Rahman Choudhury, 58, of Tottenham, north London, denied one count of rape. His self-defined ethnicity is Asian Bangladeshi.
- Murad Ali, 57, of Swansea, denied two counts of rape. His self-defined ethnicity is Asian Pakistani.
Pleas Deferred for Three Defendants
The following three defendants will enter pleas at a later date:
- Sheikh Mohammed Tahir Ullah, 73, of Newport, who has been charged with one count of raping a female aged 16 years or over and one count of raping a female under 16. His self-defined ethnicity is Asian Bangladeshi.
- Mohammed Ramzan, 76, of Newport, who has been charged with two counts of raping a female under 16, three counts of indecent assault on a girl under 16, one count of causing the prostitution of a girl under 16, and one count of conspiring to rape a girl under 16. His self-defined ethnicity is Asian Pakistani.
- Shakeel Babur, 58, of Nelson, Lancashire, who has been charged with four counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 16. His self-defined ethnicity is British Pakistani.
The nine men were all released on conditional bail ahead of a trial scheduled for January 2028. Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe said the trial is expected to last between 16 and 20 weeks.
Operation Oak Investigation
The case, known as Operation Oak, is described by Gwent Police as a "complex and long-running investigation into group-based child sexual exploitation in south Wales". The offences are alleged to have taken place between 1985 and 1996.
Detective chief superintendent Andrew Tuck previously said: "It is vital for the victims in this case, and for the integrity of the investigation, that nothing is posted on social media that could affect the court proceedings."
"Anyone who reports child abuse will be taken seriously. We urge anyone who has experienced abuse, or who is concerned that someone may be suffering, to come forward. We will listen, investigate all offences and make sure you can access the help and support you need."
