In a landmark trial, seven men have been found guilty of sexually abusing two girls over a five-year period as part of the notorious Rotherham grooming scandal. The victims, aged 11 and 15 when the attacks began between 2003 and 2008, endured traumatic abuse at the hands of their abusers.
Exploitation and Trauma
The gang, consisting of Mohammed Amar, Mohammed Siyab, Yasser Ajaib, Mohammed Zameer Sadiq, Abid Saddiq, Tahir Yassin, and Ramin Bari, targeted vulnerable young girls. They lured them with cigarettes, alcohol, cannabis, and money before subjecting them to assault, sexual acts, and rape. The attacks occurred at various locations in Rotherham, including parks, supermarket car parks, cemeteries, and behind a children’s nursery.
In one horrifying incident, one of the girls was taken to a hotel where she was raped by two men. On another occasion, the same girl was locked inside an abuser’s home, enduring multiple rapes before escaping through a window.
Operation Stovewood: Uncovering the Truth
The gang’s arrest came as part of Operation Stovewood, a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation into child sexual abuse in Rotherham spanning from 1997 to 2013. The trial revealed harrowing evidence from the victims, highlighting the severity of the offences committed by the perpetrators.
Justice Served
Zoe Becker, from the Crown Prosecution Service, emphasised that these men knowingly exploited vulnerable girls, grooming them for sexual exploitation. The guilty verdicts bring the total number of convictions related to Operation Stovewood to 33. This operation represents the largest investigation of its kind in the UK, identifying over 1,150 potential victims.
NCA senior investigating officer Stuart Cobb praised the bravery of the victims for coming forward and sharing their stories. He acknowledged that justice had finally been served, condemning the cruel and manipulative actions of the attackers.
The seven men will face sentencing on September 12 and 13. Abid Saddiq, already serving a 20-year prison sentence for sexual offences, will now face further consequences for his role in this heinous crime.
