Cousins convicted of grooming five teenage girls

Manzorr Hussain (L) and Imtiaz Ali plied the girls with alcohol and drugs before raping them

Two market stallholders have been convicted of sexually abusing five vulnerable teenage girls after grooming them in the late 1990s.

Cousins Manzorr Hussain, 54, and Imtiaz Ali, 53, initially came into contact with some of their victims at their workplace and later plied them with alcohol and drugs before committing a series offences, including rape.

The abuse took place mainly in Bury, Greater Manchester, but also elsewhere in the region and in parts of Wales.

It happened in private homes, vehicles, a hotel and a car dealership, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

Ali staged "sex parties" where a range of men targeted the girls, while Hussain arranged for one girl to perform sex acts with strangers on a dirty mattress in a flat.

One victim said she was told if she did not comply she would be abandoned naked on the moors, the CPS said.

'Sick demands'

The offences took place on various dates between 1996 and 1999 when the victims were aged 13 to 16.

On Monday, Hussain, of Manchester Road, Bury, was convicted by a jury at Manchester Minshull Street Crown of seven offences of rape.

Ali, of Ainsworth Road, Radcliffe, was found guilty of five counts of rape, five counts of indecent assault and one count of indecent assault.

CPS specialist prosecutor Claire Brinton said: "They showed a callous disregard for the girls' welfare and used manipulation, force, threats and fear to control them and make them comply with their sick demands.

"These women have demonstrated remarkable bravery in coming forward, remaining engaged with the legal process, and reliving deeply traumatic experiences from over two decades ago.

"I would like to thank all of them and I hope these convictions can bring them some comfort."

Sgt Daniel Whittaker, of Greater Manchester Police, said the case "represents a harrowing example of predatory behaviour" deliberately targeting vulnerable children.

"The offenders exploited their positions of trust and manipulated the girls into believing they were in relationships, while in reality they were being used for sexual gratification," he said.

Hussain and Ali will be sentenced on 8 December.