A man who raped vulnerable girls as young as 12 in Sheffield has fled to Pakistan after being sentenced to 27 years in prison in his absence. His two brothers were jailed on Monday for their roles in the sexual abuse of a single victim who was groomed between the ages of 12 and 14.
Brothers sentenced for abuse of one victim
Kamar Ilyas, 39, was jailed for 10 years after being convicted of one count of rape of a child under 13 and two counts of sexual activity with a child. Kamran Ilyas, 38, received a three-year sentence for two offences of sexual activity with a child. The brothers, from Sheffield, were arrested in 2020 and charged in 2023 following an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
The victim, now in her 30s, told officers she had been groomed and raped by Kamar, and then sexually abused by Amar and Kamran, between 2004 and 2008 at locations across Sheffield. The court heard that Kamar, then aged 17-18, encouraged the 12-year-old victim to meet him at various locations where he sexually abused and raped her.
Amar Ilyas used gun and threats to coerce victims
Amar Ilyas, 41, nicknamed "Killer", was convicted of 20 offences including rape against five victims. He used a gun and threats of gang rape to coerce girls he abused almost 20 years ago. The judge, Judge Hampton, described him as a "coward" who "took the coward's route and fled" to Pakistan after being released on bail.
Judge Hampton said: "He continues to try and manipulate the proceedings from abroad, having his counsel espouse his good work for the community whilst simultaneously cowering from these proceedings in a different jurisdiction." The judge called on authorities to use "all means" to bring him back to the UK to serve his 27-year sentence.
Operation Stovewood investigation
The case was part of Operation Stovewood, the NCA's investigation into systemic child sexual abuse and grooming in Rotherham. Detectives identified four further women who reported being abused by Amar when they were teenagers or young adults. The trial heard how he threatened victims with gang rape, bit one girl, and held up a spanner while attacking her in a car.
Judge Hampton told the defendants: "Your victims were targeted, sexualised and, in some cases, subjected to acts of a degrading and violent nature." He added: "They were naive and young, reaching adolescence and susceptible to the attention that was given to them. Some were groomed, some coerced and intimidated and some violently raped."
Victims describe lifelong impact
One victim read a statement in court, saying the three men "stole her childhood". She said: "What they did to me didn't end when the abuse stopped. It's shaped every year of my life since." Another victim said: "No child should ever have to go through what I did." A third victim stated: "I am a survivor and you are a coward." A fourth complainant said: "I hope you go to hell for what you did to me."
More than 50 people have been convicted as a result of Operation Stovewood, which the NCA says is the largest law enforcement operation of its kind in the UK. The operation has identified more than 1,100 children involved in exploitation between 1997 and 2013, with previous estimates putting its cost at about £90 million.
