Posted on February 21, 2020

Huddersfield Grooming Gang Jailed After Girl Forced Into Sex with 300 Men by Age 15

Dave Higgens, The Mirror, February 19, 2020

A gang of six “vile and wicked” men who raped and sexually abused two girls as young as 13 have been jailed for a total of 55 and a half years today

Usman Ali, Banaras Hussain, Abdul Majid, Gul Riaz and three other defendants – who cannot be named for legal reasons – were found guilty of a total of 10 counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault.

The charges related to the exploitation of the two teenagers in the Huddersfield area between 1995 and 2007.

One of the girls estimated she had sex with up to 300 men by the time she was 15-years-old.

The trial, which came to an end on Tuesday, is the sixth to flow from the Operation Tendersea inquiry.

The guilty verdicts at Leeds Crown Court brings the total number of men convicted following West Yorkshire Police’s investigation into child sexual exploitation in the town to 34.

The two teenagers were “systematically groomed and exploited” by the men who “viewed the girls as merely objects, to be used and abused at will”, according to prosecutors.

And detectives said the fact that one of the girls was targeted as she did her paper round “speaks volumes about the sheer depravity of this case”.

During sentencing Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said while the defendants had shown no remorse, the victims had displayed “great courage”.

He said: “There was evidence she was self-harming. They were young and targeted due to their extreme vulnerability.

“They were planned by a large group of Asian men.

“It’s likely many of these girls will never recover from the abuse they suffered.

“It’s clear they both remain profoundly affected by the abuse.

“The way they were abused defies understanding, and was wild and wicked.

“[One of the victims] was no doubt targeted for her age and vulnerability.

“Regularly plied with alcohol and drugs in order to facilitate gross sexual abuse.

“She kept it secret and had not told anyone – even her husband had no idea.

“Had it not been for seeing a photograph she would in all likelihood have taken her secret to her grave.

“None of you have shown any remorse for what you have done.”

He added: “On the other hand, these girls have displaced great courage.”

DCI Richard McNamara of Kirklees District Police said: “The men involved in these vile offences have robbed their victims of their childhood and abused them in truly appalling ways.

“During the trial the court heard that one victim came to the attention of her abusers while she was on a paper round, which speaks volumes about the sheer depravity of this case.

“It is difficult to imagine the impact on the victims of the abuse they suffered but it is clear their courage in reporting what was done to them and in supporting the prosecution has helped take some dangerous men off our streets.

“The guilty verdicts today will hopefully be a milestone for them in seeing those responsible begin to pay for what they have done as will the forthcoming sentences of these individuals.”

After the convictions, Detective Chief Inspector Richard McNamara, from West Yorkshire Police, said: “The men involved in these vile offences have robbed their victims of their childhood and abused them in truly appalling ways.

“During the trial, the court heard that one victim came to the attention of her abusers while she was on a paper round, which speaks volumes about the sheer depravity of this case.”

Michael Quinn, head of the Complex Casework Unit for the Crown Prosecution Service in Yorkshire and Humberside, said: “This case involved the cynical exploitation of two young girls by a group of older men in the Huddersfield area who were targeted because of their vulnerability.

“These men systematically groomed and exploited the girls for their own sexual gratification.

“The girls were drawn into a dark and sinister world where they were passed around to men who used them sexually without any regard for whether they were consenting.”

Mr Quinn said: “Sometimes the girls were plied with alcohol or drugs. They were unable to make truly free or informed choices about anything they did with these men. Their abusers viewed the girls as merely objects, to be used and abused at will.

“At the heart of this case are the two victims. They have suffered immensely as a result of their childhood abuse.

“We would like to acknowledge their great courage in coming forward to assist the investigation and then to support the prosecution.”

The 27 men already convicted in relation to Operation Tendersea have received jail sentences totalling 322 years.

Usman Ali, 34, of Huddersfield, West Yorks., was convicted of two of counts of rape against one victim.

He was jailed for eight years.

Gul Riaz, 44, of Huddersfield, West Yorks., was convicted of one count of rape and two counts of indecent assault against one victim, and one count of rape against the other.

He was jailed for 15 years.

Banaras Hussain, of Shipley, West Yorks., was convicted of one count count of rape against one victim.

He was jailed nine and a half years.

Abdul Majid, 36, of Huddersfield, West Yorks., was convicted of two counts of rape against one victim.

He was jailed for 11 years.

A 36-year-old man, who cannot be named, of Huddersfield, West Yorks., was convicted of one count of rape against one victim.

He was jailed for eight years.

A 30-year-old man, who cannot be named, of Huddersfield, West Yorks., was convicted of one count of rape against one victim.

He was jailed for four years.

A 37-year-old man, who cannot be named, of Huddersfield, West Yorks., is due to be sentenced tomorrow at Leeds Crown Court.