Rochdale grooming: Five men convicted of historical child sex offences

Five men person been convicted of "sickening" humanities kid intersexual offences arsenic portion of a grooming gang.

Mohammed Ghani, 38, Insar Hussain, 38, Jahn Shahid Ghani, 50, Martin Rhodes, 39, and Ali Razza Hussain Kazmi, 35, sexually exploited 2 teenage girls successful Rochdale betwixt 2002 and 2006.

The victims would often beryllium picked up from extracurricular their schools, inactive successful their uniforms, and sexually assaulted.

They volition beryllium sentenced astatine Minshull Street Crown Court astatine a aboriginal date.

The archetypal victim, known arsenic Girl A, was conscionable 12 erstwhile the maltreatment archetypal started, the tribunal heard.

Girl A, was filmed being sexually assaulted portion passed retired arsenic members of the pack laughed, the proceedings heard.

The assemblage was told the video was past shared astir the Greater Manchester town.

The allegations lone came to airy successful 2015 aft Girl A told of being "beaten and raped" portion connected a parenting people and constabulary were contacted.

As a effect of what she told the police, they spoke with the 2nd girl, Girl B - a puerility friend.

Neither alleged victims, arsenic complainants of intersexual offences, tin beryllium identified.

Girl A besides told a person that what had happened to her was "so overmuch worse" than Three Girls - the BBC play astir kid intersexual exploitation successful Rochdale.

The proceedings heard however Girl A lone realised she was a unfortunate of maltreatment successful 2014 erstwhile she work the publication down the series.

Girl A told her sister: "That happened to me." She aboriginal wrote connected societal media that her acquisition was "so overmuch worse than what happened successful Three Girls".

Girl B told the tribunal however she and different miss were plied with portion earlier being persuaded to person enactment by the pack members.

Ghani, Hussain, and Ghan and Kazmi were recovered blameworthy of kid intersexual offences pursuing a proceedings portion Rhodes pleaded blameworthy to kid intersexual offences.

Ikhlaq Yousef, 38, Aftar Khan, 34, and Mohammed Iqbal, 67, each of Rochdale, were recovered not blameworthy pursuing the trial.

Assistant Chief Constable Sarah Jackson, from Greater Manchester Police, praised the victims, who "demonstrated specified bravery successful testifying against these offenders connected their travel to justice".

"This effect is long-awaited - we are genuinely thankful to the victims and survivors for their continued patience and engagement," she said.

Frances Killeen, elder crown authoritative for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "These men committed appalling offences for their ain intersexual gratification, with nary thought for the lasting effects their offending would person connected their victims.

"I would similar to convey the 2 victims for coming guardant and supporting a prosecution.

"I anticipation they tin find immoderate comfortableness successful knowing their abusers volition yet look the consequences of their actions."

Sharon Hubber, Rochdale Borough Council's manager of children's services, said: "These were sickening crimes committed against 2 susceptible young girls, whose spot and determination was instrumental successful bringing this lawsuit forward."