Eight men have been charged with more than 30 offences as part of an investigation into a child grooming gang. Two Scots, Mohammed Sheikh Abdul Hannan and Kevin Lawrence, both 54, were snared as part of the probe into abuse carried out against children between 1985 and 1996.
Details of the Charges
Detectives from Gwent Police carried out a targeted operation on Tuesday to arrest the men which included activity in Newport, Swansea, London, Birmingham, Lancashire, Edinburgh and Argyll and Bute. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised 34 charges which includes 17 counts of rape - some of which relate to multiple incidents of rape.
Operation Oak is the investigation into reports made by a number of women of sexual abuse committed against them as children between 1985 and 1996. The men, now aged 54 to 73, are all British citizens and are bailed to appear before Newport Magistrates’ Court on Friday July 24.
Charges Against the Two Scots
Mohammed Sheikh Abdul Hannan from Edinburgh was charged with eight offences, including two counts of rape of a female aged 16 years or over, indecent assault on a woman over 16 years of age, three counts of aiding and abetting the rape of a female under 16 years of age or over and two counts of conspiring to rape a woman aged 16 years or over.
Kevin Lawrence from Dunoon was charged with three offences, including two counts of conspiring to rape a woman aged 16 years or over and causing the prostitution of a woman.
Other Men Charged
The other men charged were Shafaq Mohammedm, 58, Syed Mohammad Ashan Taqvi, 65, Sheikh Mohammed Tahir Ullah, 73, Aminur Rahman Chowdhury, 58, Shakeel Babur, 58, and Murad Ali, 57.
Police and CPS Statements
Detective Chief Superintendent Andrew Tuck said: “Operation Oak is a complex and long-running investigation into group-based child sexual exploitation in south Wales. Through our partnership with the CPS, we have now reached this significant stage in which eight men have been charged.”
“At the heart of our investigation has been supporting victims. Together with specialist agencies, we are continuing to provide support to them. I know investigations of this nature are likely to cause concern in our communities but it’s vital to the victims in this case and the integrity of the investigation that nothing is posted on social media which could impact the court proceedings.”
Jenny Hopkins, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “We have decided to prosecute eight men with rape and child sexual abuse charges for alleged offending during 1985 to 1996 – following a Gwent Police investigation into organised grooming gang activity in South Wales. Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.”
“We have worked closely with Gwent Police as they carried out their investigation. We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against these defendants are active and that they have the right to a fair trial. It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
