Posted on January 19, 2022

Gang of Six Men ‘Raped and Sexually Abused Eight Vulnerable Girls as Young as 12′

James Gant, Daily Mail, January 11, 2022

A gang of six men sexually exploited and abused vulnerable young girls after luring them over Facebook with the promise of drink and drugs, a court heard.

The group are accused of forcing the underage victims – aged between 12 and 15 – to engage in sexual activity between 2013 and 2017.

A court heard the men committed the offences against eight girls under the age of 16 in the Redditch area of Worcestershire.

Abdul Hussain, 21, Usmaan Asghar, 22, Arslan Tazarab, 25, Ethashan Tazarab, 21, Usman Ali, 28 and Numan Mohammed, 23, went on trial at Worcester Crown Court.

They are charged with a total of 24 sex offences going back almost ten years – including sexual assault and sexual activity with a child.

Opening the case, prosecutor Mark Heywood QC said some girls were targeted ‘just because they were in reach’ while cannabis was used to ‘take advantage’ of them.

He said: ‘This case is about eight girls in their early to middle teens and from 2013 to 2017 they were sexually abused by these defendants.

‘Some were crudely groped simply because they were in reach. Some were lonely and wanted attention.

‘Others had made poor lifestyle choices which made them vulnerable. This included drinking, taking drugs, and being sexually available – they were easily taken advantage of.

‘One was faced with demands for oral sex, she gave up resisting. When she did resist and saying no, she was grabbed and forced to comply.’

The court heard Mohammed, who was 14 at the time, engaged in sexual activity with an underage girl after seeing a profile picture of her, then aged 12.

Mohammed saw the images and got in touch with her, when she was 13, and they began talking over social media between 2013 and 2015.

The girl later joined a Skype call where Mohammed was masturbating while he asked her ‘to show herself’, jurors were told.

Mr Heywood added: ‘Mohammed accepts he had contact with the girl and when they agreed to meet, he thought she was over 16.

‘He accepts they flirted but denies he asked to see her body.’

The court also heard how Mohammed masturbated in front of another girl, who was 13, and had penetrative sex with her twice.

Arslan Tazarab is accused of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with the same girl as Mohammed after talking to her on Facebook when she was 14.

The court was told on one occasion they met and began smoking cannabis before driving to an isolated location and having sex in the back of the car.

Mr Heywood said: ‘She didn’t want it to happen and it was uncomfortable but it was too far to walk home and she was scared of the dark.

‘She didn’t want Tazarab to be angry with her.’

The same girl then started talking to Tazarab’s brother Ehtasham when she was around 14.

He is charged with attempting to engage in sexual activity by attempting to touch her breasts and kiss her.

Mr Heywood said: ‘Arslan Tazarb accepts he had met with the girl sometime in 2015.

‘He accepts a short sexual relationship existed. In 2016 they had sex twice in a car and friend’s house.

Hussain, who was himself under 18 at the time, is accused of masturbating in the presence of a girl who was 13.

Asghar is charged with two counts of penetrative sex with a girl who was 13 after giving her cannabis.

Mr Heywood added: ‘They would meet up and smoke cannabis. When she was high, Asghar would grab and kiss her and using his finger to penetrate her’.

The girl, who is now 20, said: ”When you’re stoned you know what you were doing but don’t know why you are doing it.’

Arslan Tazarab, of Redditch, is charged with four counts of sexual activity with a child while his brother Ethashan, of Redditch, is accused of attempting to to engage sexual activity with a child and attempting sexual communication with a child

Hussain, of Redditch, is charged with two counts of sexual assault and Ali, of Redditch, is charged with two counts of sexual activity with a child.

Mohammed, of Swinfen, Staffs., is charged with eight offences. They include rape, sexual activity with a child and engaging in sexual activity in presence of a child.

Asghar, of Redditch, is accused of two counts of sexual activity with a child.

The trial continues.