Bradford grooming gang jailed for abuse against young girls
TNT delivery driver jailed for raping a 15 year-old runaway girl in his family home after luring her into his work van.
By:
Keerthi Mohan
NINE men have been jailed after they were found guilty of grooming and sexually exploiting two vulnerable girls living in a children’s home in Bradford.
The girls were aged 14 when the men started sexually exploiting them. The abuse started in 2008 and the men used drink, drugs and violence to groom and sexually exploit them.
Following a seven-week trial at Bradford Crown Court, the men – Basharat Khaliq, Naveed Akhtar, Parvaze Ahmed, Izar Hussain, Zeeshan Ali, Kieran Harris, Faheem Iqbal and Mohammed Usman – were found guilty of a total of 22 offences including rape and inciting child prostitution.
A tenth defendant, Yasar Majid, was cleared of rape.
Sentencing the men for a total of 130 years, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said: “You appear not to have shown any respect for the minimum standards of decent behaviour.”
Prosecutor Karma Melly QC said the gang had taken advantage of the girls’ age and situation.
She said: “Some of the defendants were actually forceful, threatening and violent, others used alcohol and drugs, others created a manipulated relationship in order to facilitate their sexual exploitation.”
One of the victims, Fiona Goddard, waived her legal right to life-long anonymity to show other victims of abuse “there is nothing to be ashamed of”.
Speaking outside court, Goddard told the BBC: “These men have influenced every aspect of my life, for as long as I can remember.
“Today, I got to stand in front of them and take that control back and know that they are never going to impact my life again.”
Following the verdict, senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent Jonathan Morgan, said: “These were predatory sex offenders who targeted two vulnerable children and abused them physically and emotionally. This undoubtedly had a significant impact on them both.
“We would like to thank the victims for their continued support and acknowledge the courage they have shown in giving evidence before the courts.
“We hope today’s verdict will give them closure and allow them to move forward with their lives and that it will give other victims of abuse the confidence to come forward and report it.”
