The Sheffield Crown Court in the United Kingdom has found six men guilty of sex offences concerning the sexual exploitation of teenage girls.
The offences occurred in Rotherham more than a decade ago between 1998 and 2002.
According to a report by the British Broadcasting Corporation, one of the convicts, Abid Sadiq, 38, was convicted of two counts of rape, five of indecent assault, and two of child abduction. Others include Sharaz Hassan, 35, Masaued Malik, 35, Aftab Hussain, 40, who were convicted of indecent assault.
The convicts targeted vulnerable girls, giving them drugs and alcohol and then sexually assaulting them. If the girls resisted, violence was used to ensure their compliance.
The trail took place over a period of five weeks, during which the jury heard about the sexual violence perpetrated against the girls. Reportedly, Sadiq raped a girl aged 14 or 15 in front of her mother. Sadiq not only engaged in the heinous act but also taunted the mother.
Sadiq, however, claimed that he had sex with some of the complainants, who he said were over age and had given their consent.
The cases have resulted from UK National Crime Agency’s (UKNCA) investigation, namely Operation Stovewood. The investigation looks into sexual abuse and exploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.
According to the UKNCA, during the aforementioned period, 1510 teenagers were exploited. One of the prosecutors, Kate Hurst, informed media that the men were aware that the girls were vulnerable and underage, but they did not care if they were children or not.
The six men are to be sentenced this Friday.
The offences occurred in Rotherham more than a decade ago between 1998 and 2002.
According to a report by the British Broadcasting Corporation, one of the convicts, Abid Sadiq, 38, was convicted of two counts of rape, five of indecent assault, and two of child abduction. Others include Sharaz Hassan, 35, Masaued Malik, 35, Aftab Hussain, 40, who were convicted of indecent assault.
The convicts targeted vulnerable girls, giving them drugs and alcohol and then sexually assaulting them. If the girls resisted, violence was used to ensure their compliance.
The trail took place over a period of five weeks, during which the jury heard about the sexual violence perpetrated against the girls. Reportedly, Sadiq raped a girl aged 14 or 15 in front of her mother. Sadiq not only engaged in the heinous act but also taunted the mother.
Sadiq, however, claimed that he had sex with some of the complainants, who he said were over age and had given their consent.
The cases have resulted from UK National Crime Agency’s (UKNCA) investigation, namely Operation Stovewood. The investigation looks into sexual abuse and exploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.
According to the UKNCA, during the aforementioned period, 1510 teenagers were exploited. One of the prosecutors, Kate Hurst, informed media that the men were aware that the girls were vulnerable and underage, but they did not care if they were children or not.
The six men are to be sentenced this Friday.