Three men have been charged with 46 offences linked to the alleged grooming and sexual abuse of 10 girls in Bury, Greater Manchester. The suspects, all British Pakistani, are accused of targeting girls aged 14 to 16 between 1996 and 2001. They are scheduled to appear at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.
Details of the Charges
Ashfaq Khan, 46, of Bury, faces the most charges: 36 counts of rape of a female under 16, one count of attempted rape of a female under 16, indecent assault, and false imprisonment. Zaheer Iqbal, 52, of Accrington, is charged with four counts of rape of a female under 16 and two counts of false imprisonment. Qamar Jehangeer, 44, of Bolton, faces four counts of rape of a female under 16.
Operation Sky Investigation
The charges arise from Operation Sky, a major investigation into non-recent child sexual exploitation in the Bury area between 1996 and 2002. A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson stated that officers are collaborating with trauma-informed support services to safeguard and support all victims, emphasizing that victim welfare is the “number one priority.”
