Rochdale ‘child sex-ring’ trial: Girl ‘grabbed by throat’

Seven of the 11 men accused of the child sex offences are on bail

A 15-year-old victim of a child sex ring was “grabbed by the throat” when she refused to have sex, a jury heard.

Liverpool Crown Court was told the victim was forced to have sex with 21 men over two years.

The girl was one of five alleged victims, including one aged 13 at the time, who were allegedly “shared” and “passed around” by 11 men.

All the men deny conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with children under the age of 16.

The offences are said to have happened in and around Rochdale, Greater Manchester, in 2008 and 2009.

Turned on her

Police interviews were played to jurors in which a 15-year-old victim, who is now 19, re-lived the moment she was taken to the home of Adil Khan, one of the defendants, who was known to the girls as “Billy”.

She went to the house in Oswald Street, Rochdale, with a slightly older girl (Girl A) and four men were waiting for them.

The teenager, who cannot be identified, refused to have sex with one of the men who then turned on her.

She said he had grabbed her throat after she had sworn at him.

The teenager told police she was “scared” of Girl A, who was pushing her into having sex with numerous men.

The jury heard how she was raped and forced to have sex with numerous men by the 59-year-old defendant – the only one of the 11 who cannot be identified.

Then another of the defendants, Abdul Aziz, known to the girls as Tariq, “took over”, the jury was told.

Jurors heard she would see Girl A and Mr Aziz at the Tasty Bites takeaway in Market Street, Heywood, where she was introduced to men whom she was expected to have sex with.

The takeaway is now under new management.

The witness said the men there had made her feel “scared” and “awful”.

“They were saying things like, ‘she’s fat but she’ll be easy, and things like that’,” she told the police.

‘Sister forced’

Asked in the police interview why she did not leave earlier, she responded: “I don’t know. I got scared of [Girl A] and scared of Tariq.”

Girl A threatened to tell the victim’s mother what she had been doing and also said she would “get her battered” if she did not have sex with the men she was taken to, jurors heard.

Mr Aziz would get paid £30 or £40 and the girls would sometimes get £10. Other times they would not be paid at all, the court was told.

Jurors heard that Girl A even forced her 13-year-sister into having sex with the men.

The girl became pregnant and had an abortion, it is alleged.

Kabeer Hassan, 24; Abdul Aziz, 41; Abdul Rauf, 43; Mohammed Sajid, 35; Adil Khan, 42; Abdul Qayyum, 43; Mohammed Amin, 44; Qamar Shahzad, 29; Liaquat Shah, 41 and Hamid Safi, 22, all deny conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with children under the age of 16.

Trafficking denied

A 59-year-old man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, denies the same charge.

He also denies two counts of rape, aiding and abetting a rape, one count of sexual assault and an allegation of trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation.

• Mr Hassan, of Lacrosse Avenue, Oldham, and Mr Shahzad, of Tweedale Street, Rochdale, also deny rape.

• Mr Aziz, of Armstrong Hurst Close, Rochdale, denies two counts of rape and one allegation of trafficking for sexual exploitation.

• Mr Khan, of Oswald Street, and Mr Rauf, of Darley Road, both in Rochdale, have also pleaded not guilty to trafficking for sexual exploitation.

• Mr Sajid, of Jepheys Street, Rochdale, denies trafficking, two counts of rape and one allegation of sexual activity with a child.

• Mr Amin, of Falinge Road, Rochdale, denies sexual assault.

• Mr Shah and Mr Safi, both of Kensington Street, Rochdale, each denied two counts of rape and Mr Safi has also pleaded not guilty to trafficking.

The trial continues.

and tonight we have this !

Rochdale takeaway attacked as youths clash with police

Police said they had managed to dispersed that gangs that caused the disturbances

Gangs of youths have clashed with police after targeting takeaway businesses in Greater Manchester.

Police were sent to the Heywood area of Rochdale on Thursday evening after a takeaway was attacked and a number of vehicles damaged.

Many businesses shut as about 200 youths gathered in Market Street. It is thought an Asian takeaway was targeted.

A Greater Manchester Police officer was hurt in the clashes. Police said they had dispersed the group.

The disturbances coincide with the trial of 11 men from Rochdale accused of having sex with girls under the age of 16. They all deny the charges.

Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney said police were aware of “tensions in the borough”.

He said: “A group of youths have attacked a local business and clashed with police officers. We would urge parents in the area to call their children if they are not home yet.

“Reassurance patrols are in place to try and mitigate this and we ask the community to act responsibly during this difficult time.

“A number of local businesses have closed of their own volition and we will continue to work closely with them.”

After officers dispersed the group from Market Street some youths shouted “EDL” – English Defence League – as they left, according to the Press Association.

Police said they were monitoring social media sites.

A police officer was injured as disturbances broke out in the Heywood area of Rochdale.

Windows were damaged at a takeaway on Bridge Street and a number of vehicles were damaged, police said.

The officer suffered minor injuries during a disturbance with a group of youths.

Sources said earlier that gangs of youths had congregated and it was believed Asian takeaway businesses had been targeted.

Greater Manchester Police appealed to parents to ask their children to go home following the disorder.

Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney said police were aware of “tensions in the borough”.

He said: “A group of youths have attacked a local business and clashed with police officers. We would urge parents in the area to call their children if they are not home yet. Reassurance patrols are in place to try and mitigate this and we ask the community to act responsibly during this difficult time. A number of local businesses have closed of their own volition and we will continue to work closely with them.”

A police spokesman added: “We are monitoring social media sites and ask anybody who is concerned or has information to share with us to go either through their local Neighbourhood Policing Team, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or by GMP using the 101 service.”

Around 200 youths had gathered on Market Street in the centre of Heywood, swamped by police officers with dogs in vans at the ready.

Police vans also lined the street, lit up by their blue flashing lights, with most shops and takeaways closed and their steel shutters down. A line of officers dispersed the youths and apart from small groups most left the area. Some shouted, “EDL!” as they went.