Related News
-
Three men who conspired to steal cars from numerous homes around Wigan have been jailed. - 30/07/12 -
Rochdale grooming trial: Ringleader convicted of 30 counts of rape - 21/06/12 -
Greater Manchester man jailed for life after stabbing child - 24/07/12 -
Organised crime gang handed jail sentences - 09/11/12 -
Wealthy Manchester businessman paedophile jailed - 03/03/13
Nine men who ran a child exploitation ring in Greater Manchester have been handed jailed sentences following an 11-week trial.
The offenders, who hail from the Rochdale and Oldham areas, were given prison terms ranging from four to 19 years for sexual crimes against girls as young as 13.
Liverpool Crown Court found the group guilty of offences including rape and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with minors, after hearing how they plied girls with drugs and alcohol and "passed them around" for sex.
The victims, some of whom were runaways or in the care of social services, were abused at two takeaway restaurants in Rochdale, which are now under new management.
The men, eight of Pakistani origin and one from Afghanistan, were convicted based on evidence from five girls, who were in their early teens when the abuse took place between 2008 and 2010.
Judge Gerald Clifton said: "You have all been convicted by the jury after a long trial of grave sexual offences which were committed between the spring of 2008 and 2010.
"These involved the grooming and sexual exploitation of several girls, aged in their early teens.
"In some cases those girls were raped, callously, viciously and violently. Some of you acted as you did to satiate your lust, some of you to make money, all of you treated them as though they were worthless and beyond respect.
"I believe that one of the factors that led to that was that they were not of your community or religion."
The group's 59-year-old ring leader, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was jailed for 19 years, convicted of two counts of rape, one sex assault, one of trafficking and conspiracy.
Kabeer Hassan, 24, of Lacrosse Avenue, Oldham, was jailed for nine years after he was convicted of rape and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a minor.
Abdul Aziz, 41, of Armstrong Hurst Close, Rochdale, was jailed for nine years after he was convicted of trafficking and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a minor, but was cleared of two counts of rape.
Abdul Rauf, 43, of Darley Road, Rochdale, was jailed for six years after being convicted of trafficking and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a minor.
Mohammed Sajid, 35, of Jepheys Street, Rochdale, was jailed for 12 years after he was convicted of conspiracy, sexual activity with a child, rape and trafficking, but was cleared of an additional rape charge earlier in the trial.
He will be deported back to Pakistan following the conclusion of his sentence.
Adil Khan, 42, of Oswald Street, Rochdale, was jailed for eight years after he was convicted of conspiracy and trafficking.
Abdul Qayyum, 43, of Ramsay Street, Rochdale, was jailed for five years after he was convicted of conspiracy.
Mohammed Amin, 44, of Falinge Road, Rochdale, was jailed for five years after he was found guilty of sexual assaults and conspiracy.
Hamid Safi, 22, of Kensington Street, Rochdale, was jailed for four years after he was convicted of trafficking and conspiracy. He was cleared of two rape charges.
He will be deported to Afghanistan at the end of his sentence.
Khan's solicitor said that an appeal will be lodged, as his client believes that comments on Twitter by far right supporters indicate that the confidentiality of the jury's deliberations was "breached".
The group's ring leader objected to being tried by an all-white jury, claiming that race bias would influence the outcome.
.jpg)
