Oxford grooming: Abuse occurred amid authority 'blindness'

The court heard how one victim of the paedophile ring became suicidal after being groomed

Men who groomed and abused vulnerable girls in Oxford acted "under the noses" of the authorities who showed "almost wilful blindness", a court heard.

In May, seven members of a paedophile ring were found guilty of raping and trafficking girls aged as young as 11.

Sally O'Neill QC said it was "shocking" that two of the victims were able to freely leave their children's home to meet their abusers.

The statements were heard during a pre-sentencing hearing at the Old Bailey.

Mohammed Karrar, 38, and his brother Bassam Karrar, 34, and another set of brothers, Akhtar Dogar, 32, and Anjum Dogar, 31, were convicted alongside Kamar Jamil, 27, Assad Hussain, 32, and Zeeshan Ahmed, 28. They are due to be sentenced on Thursday afternoon.

The abuse inflicted on one victim left her suicidal and another with post-traumatic stress, the court heard.

'Irrevocable damage'

Ms O'Neill QC, representing Jamil, told the court a sub-culture with "no moral compass" had developed in the Cowley Road area in the early and mid 2000s.

She said it was "startling" that the culture was "apparent and well known" to those who lived in that area of Oxford.

She said: "It does not excuse what happened, it just sets the background for how it happened and how it escalated, in my submission."

Statements from victims' parents were also read out.

The court heard from the mother of one of the victims how she went from being a "loving, sweet child" to "sullen, secretive and evasive" following the abuse.

The victim was described as having suffered "irrevocable damage".

The statement also said the mother and her husband were "scrutinised, judged and assessed" by professionals during the period their daughter was being abused, as if somehow it was their fault.

She said they were "condescended to" and almost made to feel they were "inadequate, overreacting or wrong".

• Kamar Jamil, 27, formerly of Aldrich Road, Oxford, was found guilty of five counts of rape, two counts of conspiracy to rape and one count of arranging child prostitution.

• Akhtar Dogar, 32, of Tawney Street, Oxford, was found guilty of five counts of rape, three counts of conspiracy to rape, two counts of child prostitution and one count of trafficking.

• Anjum Dogar, 31, of Tawney Street, Oxford, was found guilty of three counts of rape, two counts of child prostitution, three counts of conspiracy to rape and one count of trafficking.

• Assad Hussain, 32, of Ashurst Way, Oxford, was found not guilty of rape and guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child.

• Mohammed Karrar, 38, of Kames Close, Oxford, was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to rape, four counts of rape of a child, one count of using an instrument to procure miscarriage, two counts of trafficking, one count of assault of a child by penetration, two counts of child prostitution, three counts of rape, two counts of conspiracy to rape a child and one count of supplying a class A drug.

• Bassam Karrar, 33, of Hundred Acres Close, Oxford, was found guilty of two counts of rape, one count of rape of a child, two counts of conspiracy to rape a child, two counts of child prostitution, one count of trafficking and one count of conspiracy to rape.

• Zeeshan Ahmed, 28, of Palmer Road, Oxford, was found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a child.