Investigations continue into grooming following latest sentencing
Eight men have been jailed for a combined total of 96 years for the sexual exploitation of three young girls in Rotherham between 1999 and 2003.
Appearing at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday 4th November, the men were individually sentenced to terms between five and 19 years behind bars.
They were convicted on 19 charges, including rape, indecent assault and false imprisonment of girls as young as 13 over a four-year period.
The sentencing follows that of six people in February of this year, who were handed a combined prison term of more than 100 years for the grooming, raping, prostitution and abuse of teenage girls in Rotherham.
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Martin Tate, Senior Investigating Officer, praised the victims for speaking out against the guilty men.
He said: “Significant sentences have been handed to these individuals for their significant and horrific crimes.
“The rape and sexual abuse of children is completely abhorrent and this group have shown no remorse for their crimes, forcing the young women who came forward to report this awful abuse to relive traumatic experiences before the court.
“We are indebted to the victims, who have supported our investigation and have shown remarkable strength in attending court to give evidence.
“This has been a lengthy and complicated process but I hope they are pleased with today’s results. These dangerous sexual offenders are now behind bars where they can cause no further harm, thanks in large part to the victims’ trust and confidence in our investigation.”
Following the convictions, the National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed that it was still separately investigating more than 11,000 lines of inquiry in relation to non-familial child sexual exploitation in Rotherham over the same four year period.
To date, 38 people have been designated as ‘suspects’ by the NCA with many more still under investigation.
Staff have spoken with 133 alleged victims and survivors and have recorded 163 crimes.
A statement from one of the survivors in the latest case was read outside of court following sentencing by a representative from Victim Support.
“I want to thank South Yorkshire Police (Operation Clover), the Police and Crime Commissioner, Rotherham Council, the ISVA service, Victim Support and, of course, my mum and dad for all of the hard work and support each of them has offered,” she said.
“The reality is I have had more support in the last three years than I have ever had before. Things have changed, all I ever wanted was justice and all of these people have helped me to achieve it.
“I know grooming still goes on but I feel that the help is available now if you speak out. Groomers thrive in the silence of others. Speak out and someone will listen. The people who chose to hurt you will be held to account for their actions, no one else, as those who hurt me have found today.
“The survivors of CSE in Rotherham have fought hard and fought with dignity. They have paved the way for others to follow and I hope they feel able to do so. If you see a child in a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable please report it, CSE is everyone’s issue and we all play a part in stamping it out.”
Anyone with concerns about child sexual exploitation can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. You can also contact the national helpline Say Something on 116 000. Always call 999 in an emergency.
The eight men sentenced were:
- Sageer Hussain, 30, of Tanglewoods, Goole – 19 years in prison
- Mohammed Whied, 32, of Psalters Lane, Kimberworth – 5 years in prison
- Ishtiaq Khaliq, 33, of Carlisle Street, Rotherham – 17 years in prison
- Waleed Ali, 34, of Canklow Road, Rotherham – 13 years in prison
- Asif Ali, 30, of Clough Street, Rotherham – 12 years in prison
- Masoued Malik, 32, of Bridgewater Way, Rotherham – 15 years in prison
- Naeem Rafiq, 33, of Upper Clara Street, Bradgate – 8 years in prison
- Basharat Hussain, 40, of no fixed address and currently on remand at HMP Wakefield – 7 years
