Ten men convicted of Rochdale child abuse offences

The men were found guilty of serious sex offences against teenage girls in Rochdale

Ten men have been convicted of committing serious sexual offences against young girls in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.

Most of the offences took place between 2004 and 2008. The victims were aged 13 to 23.

A teenage girl, raped by six of the men, contacted police after the 2012 convictions of nine Asian defendants for grooming white girls in the town.

She said "hundreds" of older men would ring her up wanting sex.

The men were investigated as part of Operation Doublet, an inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rochdale.

'Extremely vulnerable'

The teenage rape victim told officers that from the age of 14 she had been repeatedly sexually groomed by a large number of men from the area.

Thursday's convictions were the conclusion of two trials at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

Opening the prosecutions, Neil Usher said the victim was "an extremely vulnerable young woman" who had endured a "very difficult home life".

He said: "Some of this grooming was successful to the extent that as a child, and a vulnerable child at that, she on many occasions agreed to engage in sexual activity with a number of the older men.

"She told the police that there were other occasions when she had not agreed to have sex with some of the men, some of whom had nevertheless then gone on to have sex with her against her will."

The men were convicted as follows:

• Afraz Ahmed, 33, of Oswald Street, Rochdale, was found guilty of various sexual offences, including rape, conspiracy to rape and sexual activity with a child, in relation to five underage victims.

• Choudry Ikhalaq Hussain, 38, of Mayfield Terrace, Rochdale, was convicted of rape, sexual activity with a child and conspiracy to rape.

• Rehan Ali, 27, of Cleethorpes Avenue, Blackley, was found guilty of rape and sexual activity with a child.

• Kutab Miah, 35, of Ramsey Street, Rochdale, was found guilty of rape and sexual activity with a child.

• Mohammed Dauood, 38, of Leyland Road, Burnley, was convicted of offences in relation to two victims including rape, sexual activity with a child and sexual assault.

• Abid Khan, 38, of Whitney Road, Liverpool, was found guilty of sexual activity with a child.

• Mohammed Zahid, 54, of Croxton Avenue, Rochdale, was found guilty of sexual activity with a child.

• David Law, 46, of Colmanhay Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, was convicted of conspiracy to rape.

• Another defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted of rape and attempting to abduct a child in relation to three victims.

• Mahfuz Rahman, 29, of HMP Garth, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to three counts of sexual activity with a child.

Hussain was convicted in his absence and is currently wanted by Greater Manchester Police. He is believed to be outside the United Kingdom.

Rahman was jailed last September for five-and-a-half years. The remaining defendants will be sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court on 7 and 8 April.

Three other men - Shayfur Rahman, 32, of Sedgley Park Road, Prestwich; Raja Abid Khan, 39, of Staniforth Road, Sheffield and Hadi Jamel, 34, of Dudley Street, Warrington - were acquitted.

The jury was unable to reach a verdict on a further defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Senior Crown Prosecutor Alison Cartmell said: "These offenders...deliberately targeted the girls because of their youth and their vulnerability... and in many cases groomed them by plying them with large amounts of alcohol or by pretending they were offering genuine friendship before sexually abusing them.

The victims were subjected to violence or threats, she said, adding: "One victim, an extremely vulnerable young girl with a troubled home life, was sexually exploited in some way by each one of these offenders.

"She has shown tremendous courage and determination in facing up to her abusers and giving evidence at court during two trials."

Ass Ch Cons Robert Potts from Greater Manchester Police said: "Today's outcome belongs to the brave and courageous victims who have found the confidence to speak of their harrowing experiences.

"They've helped us to ensure we can find those responsible for these horrific crimes and bring them to justice no matter how long has come to pass."

• Update 6 April 2016: This story has been amended to correct details on the convictions