Jurors at Minshull Street Crown Court have heard how a teenage girl allegedly groomed by men in Rochdale believed one of her alleged abusers was a 'really good guy'.
The complainant, known as Girl A, claims she was given takeaway food, clothes and money by Tahir Rashid, and alleges she was raped by him on a number of occasions. He and five other men deny sexual offences allegedly committed against three girls in the town.
Prosecutors allege the girls were 'groomed', 'manipulated' and became 'sex slaves', often being forced to have sex 'with multiple men on the same day, in filthy flats and houses'. The abuse of one, Girl C, allegedly began in the late 1980s, with the alleged 'exploitation' of the two others, Girl A and Girl B, beginning in the mid-2000s.
Girl A's police interview played to jury
Jurors watched video recorded interviews which police conducted with Girl A. She said that she was invited to a 'house party' at Mr Rashid's home, driven there in a silver BMW, and that she had sex with another man. Girl A does not allege that she was abused by Mr Rashid on that occasion.
She said that Mr Rashid bought her takeaway food and clothes, and gave her money. Girl A said she believed she was 14 at the time.
“I told him my real age, he knew my real age straight away,” she said. Girl A also said he was aware that she was at school. “He would always be nice to me,” Girl A said of Mr Rashid. “I just thought he was a really good guy.”
Statement from NHS worker read to court
Girl A said that she had sex with Mr Rashid on another occasion. The complainant said she believed that she’d been to the house about 10 times, and that she had sex with him 'every time'.
Jurors were also read a statement made by Sara Rowbotham, who worked for the NHS between 2002 and 2014 as crisis intervention team co-ordinator within the sexual health improvement unit. She said that as part of her role, she had dealings with Girl A and Girl B.
In her statement, Ms Rowbotham said that Girl A had 'disclosed that she has multiple partners and has sex for favours'. She said that she had noted that Girl A had told her mother that she had 'only had sex with Asian men and lots of them'. She said that Girl A had claimed that 'Taz', said to be Tahir Rashid, 'organised parties at one of his properties'.
Ms Rowbotham said: “She was asked to bring girls, who were given drink and drugs, and she had sex with one or other of the men there”.
Denials and charges
Mr Rashid, of Hudsons Walk, Rochdale, denies 12 counts of rape; three counts of indecent assault; and one count of assault by penetration. The charges include allegations against all three complainants.
Mr Saleem, of Bradley Smithy Close, Rochdale denies eight counts of rape allegedly committed against Girl A. Mr Shah, of Crawford Street, Rochdale, denies two counts of rape allegedly committed against Girl A.
Mr Mohammed, of Merefield Street, Rochdale, denies four counts of rape; and one count of assault by penetration. The charges include allegations against Girl A and Girl B. Mr Hussain, of Hey Street, Rochdale, denies three counts of rape allegedly committed against Girl A.
Mr Mahmood, of Channing Street, Rochdale, denies 11 counts of rape, two counts of indecency with a child, two counts of assault by penetration and one count of indecent assault. The charges include allegations against Girl A and Girl B. Mr Mahmood is not present in the dock; the court has been told he is receiving treatment in a foreign hospital for a 'complex psychiatric illness' and 'through no fault of his own is unfit to stand trial.' Jurors have been asked to decide whether he committed the alleged acts as charged and whether he did so 'in circumstances where the complainant didn't consent.'
