Nine men have been sentenced to a total of 77 years in prison at Liverpool Crown Court for their roles in a child sexual exploitation gang that groomed vulnerable young girls in Rochdale. The trial, which concluded on Tuesday, heard that five victims, the youngest aged just 13 when the abuse began, were plied with food, alcohol, drugs, and gifts before being passed around a group of men for sex.
The ringleader, a 59-year-old man from Oldham who cannot be named for legal reasons, received a 19-year sentence after being convicted of two rapes, aiding and abetting rape, sexual assault, and trafficking for sexual exploitation. Other sentences included Kabeer Hassan, 25, jailed for nine years for rape; Hamid Safi, 22, an illegal immigrant, sentenced to four years for conspiracy; and Abdul Qayyum, 44, who received five years for conspiracy. Mohammed Amin, 45, was given five years for conspiracy and 12 months for sexual assault; Adil Khan, 42, eight years for conspiracy and trafficking; Mohammed Sajid, 35, 12 years for rape and additional concurrent terms; Abdul Rauf, 43, six years for conspiracy and trafficking; and Abdul Aziz, 41, a taxi driver, nine years for conspiracy and trafficking.
Before sentencing, Martin Narey, former Barnardo's chief executive, highlighted a significant over-representation of Asian men, particularly Pakistani men, in such street grooming cases in northern cities. However, he stressed that most Asians abhor these crimes. Keith Vaz, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, cautioned against stigmatising entire communities, calling for a proper investigation into how organisations cared for the victims.
Greater Manchester Police said further arrests could be made and are searching for Mohammed Shazad, 39, who absconded while on bail. The force has faced criticism for its handling of the original 2008 investigation, when a 15-year-old girl reported being attacked and groomed. The matter has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Detective Inspector Michael Sanderson, the senior investigating officer, condemned the defendants for showing no remorse and forcing victims to relive their ordeals, vowing to 'hunt down and prosecute' anyone involved in child sexual exploitation.
