Rochdale grooming gang 'caught after one of victims detailed abuse at parenting ... trends now
A grooming gang which ‘exploited’ and abused two vulnerable young girls for their own sexual gratification was only exposed when one of the alleged victims attended a parenting course herself years later, a court heard today.
The men, all from Rochdale, preyed on the girls - who were aged 12 and 13 when the abuse started - after plying them with drink and drugs, a jury was told.
They became objects to ‘use, abuse, humiliate then discard’, it was alleged, with some of the sex attacks taking place in an address known as ‘The Butcher’s flat’.
More than a decade after the girls’ ordeal is said to have come to an end, one of them – by now an adult – contacted police after attending a parenting course, Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester was told.
She alleged that a childhood friend was also allegedly subjected to a litany of abuse by the same group from the age of 13.
Eight men are on trial for 82 offences including rape, sexual activity with a child and gross indecency between 2002 and 2006. Pictured left: Ali Razza Hussain Kasmi, 36, who is charged with six offences. Pictured right on right hand side: Mohammed Iqbal, 67, who is charged with two counts of paying for sexual services of a girl under the age of 18
Ikhlaq Yousef (pictured), 38, is charged with seven offences including two rapes and two counts of gross indecency with a child
Eight men are on trial for 82 offences including rape, sexual activity with a child and gross indecency between 2002 and 2006.
The court heard how the younger girl met a group of men ‘centred around’ one defendant, Mohammed Ghani.
He would allegedly go to the flat - owned by his brother Jahn Shahid Ghani and so-called as it was above a former butcher’s shop in Rochdale - along with Insar Hussain and Ikhlaq Yousef where some of the alleged offences took place.
She told police how she was sexually abused daily from the age of 12, given alcohol and drugs and passed between her abusers.
She said she had ‘no choice’ but to do what they wanted, or she would be beaten and raped, and described how videos were taken and used to blackmail her.
Neil Usher, prosecuting, said the girl and her friend became ‘mere objects for the defendants to use, abuse,
