West Yorkshire Police operation sees 24 'sexual predators' jailed

The 24 men have been jailed after prosecutions arising out of a police investigation called Operation Tourway

More than 20 "sexual predators" have been given jail sentences of up to 30 years for sexually exploiting girls in West Yorkshire.

The abuse, which included rape and trafficking offences, was described by police as "abhorrent in the extreme".

The prosecutions took place after officers investigated the sexual abuse of eight girls in the north Kirklees area between 1999 and 2012.

Police said the operation was centred around Batley and Dewsbury.

Reporting restrictions covering a series of trials held over two years were lifted on Friday, following the latest sentencing of seven men at Leeds Crown Court.

Four of the men convicted in the series of trials received sentences of more than 20 years in prison.

West Yorkshire Police said juries had heard details of "absolutely shocking offending", with victims treated as "defenceless commodities to be abused and traded at whim".

Arrests were conducted from late 2018 across West Yorkshire, with suspects charged in December 2020.

'Appalling sexual abuse'

Det Ch Insp Oliver Coates, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "Men such Asif Ali, who alone was found guilty of 14 rape offences, committed appalling sexual abuse on a scale which can barely be believed.

"Far from being powerless however, those young women have instead fought back as adults and forced them to account for their crimes."

He continued: "Their bravery in coming forward and identifying their abusers has allowed us to take action against men whose offending and behaviour can only be described as abhorrent in the extreme."

"Now that reporting restrictions have been lifted we can, for the first time, disclose full details of all those sentenced."

He concluded: "I hope they can find some closure in knowing they have enabled police and partners to mount a huge and highly difficult investigation which has taken sexual predators off our streets."

Those sentenced were:

• Khurum Raziq, 42, from Heckmondwike, was sentenced to 22 years for eight offences of rape

• Nasar Hussain, 46, from Dewsbury, was sentenced to 18 years for three offences of rape

• Zafar Qayum, 44, from Dewsbury, was sentenced to 30 years for six counts of rape, five counts of indecent assault and three counts of aiding and abetting rape

• Ansar Qayum, 47, from Dewsbury, was sentenced to 20 years for four counts of rape and one offence of attempted indecent assault

• Mohammed Jabbar Qayum, 43, from Dewsbury, was sentenced to 13 years for two offences of rape

• Mohammed Imran Zada, 45, from Batley, was sentenced to 15 years for four offences of rape and sexual activity with a 15-year-old child

• Michael Birkenshaw, 37, from Wakefield, was sentenced to eight years for a rape offence

• Amran Mehrban, 40, from Batley, was sentenced to 13 years for two offences of rape and an offence of assault by penetration

• Sarkaut Yasen, 38, from Dewsbury, was sentenced to 15 years for trafficking and three offences of aiding and abetting rape

• Mohammed Saleem Nasir, 48, from Dewsbury, was sentenced to 19 years for three offences of rape and an offence of aiding and abetting rape

• Irfan Khan, 37, from Batley, was sentenced to 12 years, with a five year extended licence, for three offences of rape and making threats to kill

• Omar Farooq Hussain, 39, from Batley, was sentenced to 18 years for four offences of rape

• Sarfraz Hussain Riaz, 40, from Dewsbury, was sentenced to 15 years for two offences of rape and an offence of attempted rape

• Zafar Iqbal, 38, from Batley, was sentenced to 17 years for an offence of indecency with child, trafficking and three offences of rape

• Nasar Iqbal, 38, from Batley, was sentenced to 10 years for trafficking and rape

• Mohammed Chothia, 47, from Batley, was sentenced to 17 years for four offences of rape and trafficking

• Bilal Patel, 42, from Leicester, was sentenced to 13 years for trafficking and a rape offence

• Asif Ali, 53, from Batley, was sentenced to 24 years for 14 counts of rape, two offences of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and offences of trafficking for sexual exploitation, intentionally encouraging or assisting an offender and aiding, abetting or procuring rape

• Mohammed Tauseef Hanif, 39, from Dewsbury, was jailed for nine-and-a-half years for a rape offence

• Ali Shah, 38, from Dewsbury, was sentenced to 10 years for a rape offence

• Moshin Nadat, 38, from Heckmondwike, was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years for a rape offence

• Safraz Miraf, 49, from Dewsbury, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years for an attempted rape offence

• Mohammed Nazam Nasser, 38, from Batley, was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years for a rape offence

• Amir Ali Hussain, 45, from Batley, was sentenced to eight years for a rape offence