Huddersfield grooming: Man jailed for raping teenage girl

Banaris Hussain was the sixth man to be sentenced in the trial

A man has been jailed for raping a teenage girl who was groomed and abused by a group of men in Huddersfield.

Banaris Hussain, 36, of Crosland Moor, was sentenced to 10 years after being found guilty at Leeds Crown Court.

Five men in the same trial were sentenced on Friday over the "wicked abuse" of girls aged between 12 and 16.

A total of 27 men have now been convicted over sexual exploitation in the town. As he was led away, Hussain said it was a "miscarriage of justice".

'Traumatic effect'

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said he would not repeat the comments made at Friday's sentencing, but said: "I addressed how the girls had been groomed by a number of Asian men in order for sexual abuse to be committed against them.

"I spoke of the traumatic effect the abuse had on them. You have shown not a shred of remorse for what you did. "The offence of rape was committed at a time when (the victim) was 14 or 15. You raped her when a number of others were present and also abusing her."

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On Friday, Umar Zaman, 31, who is believed to have absconded to Pakistan, and Samuel Fikru, 32, of William Street, were each jailed for eight years after they were convicted of two counts of rape.

A 32-year old man was jailed for 14 years for five counts of rape, another 32-year-old man was jailed for eight years for one count of rape and a 38-year-old man was jailed for seven years for attempted rape.

Their names cannot be reported for legal reasons.

Det Ch Insp Richard McNamara, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "We welcome the sentencing of these six men for offences which can only be described as depraved.

Umar Zaman, 31, was sentenced on Friday but is believed to have absconded to Pakistan

"These individuals sexually abused three vulnerable young girls and the sentences reflect the dreadful nature of what they have done.

"We hope that seeing these men put behind bars, following the guilty verdicts last month at Leeds Crown Court, will be a source of some comfort for these brave and courageous victims as they continue to come to terms with their lived experiences."

The men were convicted in a fifth trial relating to Operation Tendersea, carried out by West Yorkshire Police.

The offences dated to between 2005 and 2008, when the girls were aged from 12 to 16.

The judge described how vulnerable girls were plied with drugs and alcohol and passed between men in Huddersfield.