Two men have been jailed after an 11-year-old girl was abducted in Birmingham, sexually assaulted and offered cocaine after being approached in the street.
Sadak Ali, 28, was sentenced to seven years in prison, while Hamza Sharif, 36, received a five-year sentence for child abduction following proceedings at Birmingham Crown Court.
The court heard the girl had left her home in the early hours without telling anyone before encountering Sharif near a railway station in east Birmingham.
Prosecutor Usha Shergill said Sharif suggested that the child go with him to a house.
Once there, the girl declined an offer of cocaine. Ali then asked her a series of “invasive” sexual questions before sexually assaulting her over her clothing.
The court heard the girl was deliberately isolated at the property and was described by the judge as “desperately vulnerable”.
Judge Roderick Henderson said Sharif had been the “driving force” behind the offending after first approaching the girl.
Ali was ordered to remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life, while both men were made subject to restraining orders.
Victim describes lasting impact
In a statement read to the court, the girl described suffering nightmares, flashbacks and difficulties trusting adults since the incident.
She said: “I thought the man wanted to help me but what happened changed me forever.”
Police have now released photographs of both men following their convictions and sentencing.
The case serves as a reminder of the vulnerability of children who may find themselves alone and approached by strangers, with police continuing to urge anyone concerned about a child’s safety to report it.
