Nine men have been sentenced to a total of 77 years in prison at Liverpool Crown Court for sexually exploiting vulnerable girls in Rochdale. The court heard that five victims, the youngest aged 13 when the abuse began, were groomed with food, alcohol, drugs, and gifts before being passed around for sex.
The ringleader, a 59-year-old man from Oldham who cannot be named for legal reasons, received 19 years for two rapes, aiding and abetting rape, sexual assault, and trafficking for sexual exploitation. Others sentenced include Kabeer Hassan, 25, jailed for nine years for rape; Hamid Safi, 22, an illegal immigrant, who received four years for conspiracy; and Abdul Qayyum, 44, who got five years for conspiracy.
Further sentences were handed down to Mohammed Amin, 45 (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); Abdul Rauf, 43 (six years for conspiracy and trafficking); and Abdul Aziz, 41 (nine years for conspiracy and trafficking).
Before sentencing, former Barnardo's chief executive Martin Narey said there was a “very significant over-representation of Asian men, Pakistani men, in these terrible crimes” in northern cities, though he stressed most Asians abhor such acts. However, Keith Vaz, chair of the home affairs select committee, rejected the notion of a race issue, calling for a far-reaching investigation without stigmatising a whole community.
Greater Manchester Police said further arrests are possible. One suspect, Mohammed Shazad, 39, remains at large. The force has apologised to victims after an earlier complaint by a 15-year-old in 2008 was not pursued, and the matter has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
Detective Inspector Michael Sanderson said the defendants showed no remorse and forced victims to relive their ordeals, vowing to “hunt down and prosecute” anyone involved in child sexual exploitation.
