Child sex beasts caged for 125 years

TEN paedophiles who preyed on vulnerable teenage girls have been jailed for over 125 years for a catalogue of sick child sex offences.

The arrests were part of Operation Doublet, the investigation into child sexual exploitation mainly in Rochdale mainly between 2004-2008.

The men were convicted during trials at Manchester Crown Court and they were sentenced on Thursday and Friday

Afraz Ahmed (33) of Oswald Street, Rochdale was found guilty of two counts of rape, two counts of conspiracy to rape, two counts of inciting sexual activity, five counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of Section 47 assault against five victims. He was sentenced to 25 years.

Choudhry Ikhalaq Hussain (38) of Mayfield Terrace, Rochdale was found guilty of three counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of rape and one count of conspiracy to rape against one victim. He was convicted in his absence and is wanted by police. He was sentenced in his absence to 19 years.

Rehan Ali (27) of Cleethorpes Avenue, Blackley was found guilty of three counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of rape against one victim. He was sentenced to seven years.

Kutab Miah (35) of Ramsay Street, Rochdale was found guilty of three counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of rape against one victim. He was sentenced to nine years.

Mohammed Dauood (38) of Leyland Road, Burnley, was found guilty of three counts of rape, one count of sexual activity with a child, one count of sexual assault and one count of Section 47 assault against two victims. He was sentenced to 16 years.

Abid Khan (39) of Liverpool was found guilty of three counts of sexual activity with a child against one victim. He was sentenced to six and a half years.

Mohammed Zahid (55) of Croxton Avenue, Rochdale was found guilty of one count of sexual activity with a child against one victim. He was sentenced to five years.

David Law (46) of Ilkeston, Derbyshire, was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to rape against one victim. He was sentenced to 11 years.

A man who cannot be named for legal reasons was found guilty of three counts of rape and attempted child abduction against three victims. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison plus eight years on extended license.

Mahfuz Rahman (29) of HMP Garth pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child and was sentenced to five and a half years at the start of the trial.

The convictions relate to offences committed against eight victims aged between 13-23 at the time of the abuse.



THE men found guilty of historical sexual offences were described as predators who thought their victims were worth a packet of cigarettes or a bottle of vodka, writes Karen Doherty.

They were arrested as part of Operation Doublet which was launched in May 2012, after several perpetrators were identified and more victims came forward in the wake of the first big Rochdale sexual grooming case.

All but one of the defendants were from Asian backgrounds and their victims were white. The men had a variety of jobs including a market trader, taxi driver, takeaway worker and delivery driver.

Unlike the Rochdale grooming case, this was not a linked gang of men — though two were working in league.

Many, but not all, of the victims came from tough backgrounds and dysfunctional families. They had a history of abuse and were seen as ripe for the taking. In one case, the victim’s number had been passed around the community from friend to friend as an easy target.

Others were chance meetings: a victim would happen to be on a bus at the same time as a perpetrator or approached while walking home from school.

Det Chief Insp Jamie Daniels, who led the investigation, said: “The men are predators. They look upon the most vulnerable young girls and they see the fact that they may not be engaging with school, they may come from really troubled backgrounds and be able to remain out at midnight drinking.

“They see all of those as real opportunities to take advantage of them. These predators valued the girls as a packet of cigarettes or a bottle of vodka.”

More than 100 people have been interviewed or arrested as part of Operation Doublet. A total of 27 have been charged and more cases will go to court later this year. There are also more alleged victims who did not want to go to court.