Rochdale groomers get over 70 years in jail for sex abuse of two children

Five men who groomed and sexually abused two young girls in Rochdale have been jailed. The youngsters, known only as girl A and girl B, were aged 13 and 14 when they were plied with alcohol, cannabis and Ecstasy pills before being sexually assaulted for around two years by various men, either together or on their own.

Girl A also suffered “degradation” as she was filmed while blacked out from vodka, being sexually assaulted with a bottle as men laughed. The video was then shared around Rochdale, Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester heard.

On another occasion she told the court she was urinated on by one man as she performed oral sex on another. The five men were convicted of multiple sexual offences after a 12-week trial earlier this year.

Passing sentence, Judge Tina Landale told the defendants, “Your cases, together and individually resulted in appalling abuse of two young women who were children when you offended against them. They were both, immature, naive children, who were loved by their families.

“Each girl was a child, ripe for exploitation by unscrupulous older men. Your behaviour was highly predatory, controlling and manipulative. You each hooked them and used them for your own sexual pleasure.”

The trial heard the victims would often be picked up from outside their schools, still in their uniforms, and sexually assaulted against a school wall, in cars, in public parks, on Saddleworth Moor and in flats and houses in Rochdale.

Girl A said the abuse began after a chance meeting with Mohammed Ghani, now aged 39, of Bamford Way, Rochdale.

He would have sex with the youngster then pass her on to his friends where she was also pressured into multiple sexual encounters with men, one after the other.

A flat above a disused Butcher’s shop in Rochdale was used, a bare stained mattress the only item in the upstairs bedroom used for the abuse.

Ghani was jailed for 14 years and six months after being found guilty of five counts of penetrative sex with a child.

His older brother, Jahn Shahid Ghani, 50, of Whitworth Road, Rochdale, described as a “sex addict” who gave girl A up to 10 Ecstasy tablets at a time before engaging in group sex with her and another woman, was jailed for 20 years for causing a child to engage in sexual activity and four counts of penetrative sexual activity with a child.

Their friend, Insar Hussain, 38, of Bishop Street, Rochdale was jailed for 17 years for rape and two counts of penetrative sex with Girl A.

Ali Razza Hussain Kasmi, 36, of Brotherod Hall Road, Rochdale, was jailed for eight years for rape and two other sexual offences against girl B.

A fifth man, Martin Rhodes, 39, of Dinmore Avenue, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to four counts of penetrative sex with a child, relating to both girl A and girl B and was jailed for 12 years and six months.

All the offences took place between 2002 and 2006. The allegations only came to light in 2015 after girl A told of being “beaten and raped” while on a parenting course and police were contacted.

She told course workers: “I was abused daily for six years. I was 12 when they began to abuse me, feeding me alcohol and drugs, abuse me and pass me on to their friends. They did as they pleased, they made videos of me to use as blackmail.”

As a result of what she told the police, they spoke with the second girl, girl B, a childhood friend. Neither girl, as complainants of sexual offences, can be identified.

Jurors cleared Ikhlaq Yousef, 38, of Stanley Street, Rochdale, Aftar Khan, 34, of Sparth Bottoms Road, Rochdale, and Mohammed Iqbal, 67, of Gainsborough Drive, Rochdale, of any wrongdoing.

Detective Chief Inspector Guy Laycock, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “First and foremost, I want to put on record my thanks to the survivors.

“Throughout our investigation and this trial, they have put their trust in my team and have demonstrated extraordinary resilience in the face of their traumatic experiences at the hands of these abhorrent offenders.”

Frances Killeen, senior crown prosecutor for Crown Prosecution Service North West’s Complex Casework Unit, said: “The men who committed these appalling offences, have finally been brought to justice. They all showed a total disregard for the effect their abuse would have on their victims.

“These incidents continue to impact upon the lives of the women today. I hope this conviction will give confidence to other survivors of sexual abuse to come forward. It’s never too late to seek justice.”

An NSPCC spokesperson said: “These men targeted and ruthlessly exploited vulnerable girls, subjecting them to appalling acts of physical, emotional and sexual abuse over several years. The victims in this case have shown exceptional bravery in speaking out and pursuing justice.”