Two men convicted of raping a teenage girl who was groomed and trafficked in Rotherham have been sentenced in their absence to a total of 48 years in prison, as police appeal for public help to find them.
Mudasar Hussain, 37, was sentenced to 23 years, and Kamir Ifzal Khan, 37, to 25 years, at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday. Both absconded ahead of their trial. A third man, Ghazanfar Hussain, 42, was in court and was detained for ten years.
Victim's Bravery Praised in Court
Judge Sarah Wright told the court the girl was “cynically and manipulatively groomed” and subjected to a “campaign of rape”. She said the complainant’s “bravery beyond measure” in coming forward stood in stark contrast to the actions of the two defendants who absconded. Speaking of the victim, who watched the sentencing from behind a curtain, Judge Wright said: “She is clearly a remarkable woman” and added: “Finally, she has been heard.”
The victim was aged between 13 and 15 when she was groomed and sexually abused, first by Mudasar Hussain, then separately by Ghazanfar Hussain and Khan. Mudasar Hussain, about 20 at the time, plied her with alcohol and drugs and took her to a house in Rotherham where he raped her. He abused her “countless times over the course of around 18 months, at the house, in local public spaces and in his car,” according to the National Crime Agency (NCA). She told police he violently coerced her, including threatening her with a baseball bat.
Whistleblower's Shock at Bail Decisions
Jayne Senior MBE, who helped uncover the truth about Rotherham's child abuse scandal where 1,400 children were sexually exploited over 16 years, told The Mirror she was shocked the men had been given the chance to go on the run. She said: “These evil men have committed heinous crimes, why were they not remanded?”
Senior added: “It shocks me these men are not remanded, when for so many other lesser crimes you do! I think it sends out a message that their crimes are not seen as being serious.” She noted cases where children have had to move away from their homes because their rapists were released on bail in the same area. Appealing to the public, she said: “Anybody who knows anything needs to come forward as soon as possible. These are dangerous individuals.”
Details of the Abuse and Investigation
Mudasar Hussain had been on conditional bail ahead of his trial and had been forced to give up his passport. The NCA said he could still be in the UK, but he may have left the country illegally. Khan was on unconditional court bail and is known to have fled the country on a flight to Qatar on September 22nd. Investigators believe he travelled on to Pakistan. Khan was previously jailed for four and a half years in 2020 for grooming and abusing an 11-year-old on Snapchat.
Khan began abusing the girl when she started going to a takeaway he worked at, according to the NCA. He gave her food, money and cigarettes and took her out on deliveries. He raped her during a period of abuse lasting around seven months. The NCA said he also took her to a house on a number of occasions and asked her to have sex with other men who were there. She always refused, but one day he took her to another address and left her alone with another man, who raped her. Khan later told the girl he owed the man a favour.
Ghazanfar Hussain, nicknamed Gucci and around 24 at the time, raped her on one occasion when his brother left the country for a period. The victim didn't know at the time they were related.
The three men were arrested as part of Operation Stovewood, established in 2014 in the wake of the Rotherham exploitation scandal. The NCA said the probe had identified and supported around 1,150 potential victims and secured 60 convictions against 55 people.
Melissa Garner, Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Mudasar Hussain and Kamir Khan separately groomed a young and vulnerable girl with alcohol, drugs and gifts. They raped her multiple times between 2008 and 2010 at various locations around Rotherham. Ghazanfar Hussain was quick to take advantage of the vulnerable victim when the opportunity presented itself. Their abuse has caused the victim serious and lifelong harm.”
Anyone with information on the whereabouts or recent movements of either of the men is urged to report it 100% anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. Alternatively report information directly to the NCA at www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk.
