Nineteen men have been sentenced to a combined 286 years in prison for the "truly appalling" rape and sexual abuse of three vulnerable girls in West Yorkshire. The offences, which took place between 1995 and 2003, occurred primarily in the towns of Dewsbury and Batley, targeting girls as young as 12.
Proceedings began at Leeds Crown Court in July 2023, spanning six separate trials. The final trial concluded in September 2024, with the last suspect sentenced in 2025. Reporting restrictions, imposed to protect the fairness of the court process, have now been lifted, West Yorkshire Police confirmed.
Sentences Handed Down
The convicted men and their sentences are as follows:
- Ansar Mahmood Qayum, 49, from Dewsbury: 10 years for three rapes and two indecent assaults, added to an existing 20-year sentence from a separate 2022 case, totalling 30 years.
- Sajid Majid, 53, from Mirfield: 28 years for five rapes and three indecent assaults.
- Manaf Hussain, 51, from Heckmondwike: 25 years for six rapes and supplying Class A drugs.
- Tariq Azam, 57, from Dewsbury: 24 years for five rapes and four indecent assaults.
- Zulfiqar Ali, 47, from Dewsbury: 22 years and six months for four rapes.
- Aurrangzeb Azam, 56, from Dewsbury: 20 years for 10 rapes and one indecent assault.
- Shakeel Haq, 58, from Birmingham: 19 years for three rapes and false imprisonment.
- Rafiq Patel, 73, from Batley: 18 years for two rapes.
- Zaheed Ali Novsarka, 58, from Batley: 18 years for two rapes.
- Mohammed Sheikh, 53, from Batley: 14 years for two rapes and two indecent assaults.
- Mohammed Yasin, 52, from Batley: 14 years for one rape and two indecent assaults.
- Liaquat Hussain Hanif, 49, from Batley: 12 years and six months for two rapes and supplying Class A drugs.
- Ebrahim Mananiat, 56, from Batley: 12 years for two rapes.
- Ibrahim Khalifa, 87, from Bradford: 11 years for two rapes.
- Shafiq Siddique, 56, from Dewsbury: 11 years for one rape.
- Mohammed Munir Shaffi, 48, from Dewsbury: 9 years for two rapes.
- Mohammed Ishtiaq Hussain, 51, from Dewsbury: 8 years for one rape.
- Abbas Kaji, 57, from Batley: 7 years for one rape.
- Tasawar Hussain, 46, from Dewsbury: 3 years for one rape.
Additionally, Donna Lynn, 45, from Cleckheaton, received a three-year sentence for controlling prostitution.
Police Statement
Detective Chief Inspector Rob Stevens of Kirklees District Police described the investigation as a "major" probe into "truly appalling sexual abuse of vulnerable girls." He said: "Over an almost two-year period, juries have heard shocking revelations about the dreadful way victims were abused. They were repeatedly sexually assaulted, given Class A drugs, and treated as commodities for the gratification of heartless predators."
He noted that the longer sentences, such as Aurrangzeb Azam's 20-year term for 10 rapes, "speak volumes about their depravity." Stevens praised the victims' courage: "These women showed enormous bravery in giving evidence. I hope they feel pride in seeing justice done."
Information on reporting non-recent child sexual exploitation and support is available via West Yorkshire Police's 'When You Are Ready' campaign.
