Men jailed for sexual assault of young girl

Stevan Marston and Yasser Mahmood sexually assaulted the girl in Telford

Two men have been jailed following the rape and sexual assault of a young girl.

Stevan Marston, from Birmingham, groomed the girl and invited her round to an address in Telford in May 2022 where he sexually assaulted her, West Mercia Police said.

His friend Yasser Mahmood, also from Birmingham, drove to the property - reaching speeds of 111mph (178kmph) en route - and went on to rape and sexually assault the girl, the force added.

Marston received a nine-and-a-half-year sentence and Mahmood nine years at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Monday.

Marston, from the Sparkbrook area of the city, was found guilty in May of sexual activity with a child, sexual assault and possession of cocaine following a three-week trial.

The 35-year-old invited his friend to the property after texting to say the girl had arrived, police said.

Mahmood, also 35 and from Sparkbrook, drove at high speeds on the M54 on his way to the property, the force said.

He was convicted of rape and sexual activity with a girl and disqualified from driving for seven years for driving dangerously.

Det Con Rob Allcock, from the force's Child Sexual Exploitation Team in Telford, said: “We welcome the sentence that has been handed to both Marston and Mahmood.

“Both men are dangerous individuals who preyed on a young girl, and it is incomprehensible that they would commit such crimes.

“I would like to commend the victim for her bravery throughout the investigation and trial, which was understandably very distressing for her, and I hope that today’s sentences will help her in gaining closure.”