Rotherham sex abuse trial: Police officer 'had sex with girls'

Seven people are on trial at Sheffield Crown Court in connection with the alleged the sexual exploitation of children in Rotherham

A woman has told the Rotherham child sexual exploitation trial that a police officer she confided in had sex with girls at homes where she was staying.

The jury at Sheffield Crown Court heard the woman describe how she was abused and assaulted from the age of 11 when in local authority care.

Five men and two women face more than 60 charges, including rape and false imprisonment, over a 10-year period.

The seven defendants deny all the charges.

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The woman described how she told a detective about what happened but no action was taken.

Asked by prosecutor Michelle Colborne QC how she found the detective she told the jury: "He used to come to houses where we were.

"He used to have sex with girls and he used to take drugs from people and pass them on to Ash."

The court has heard that two of the seven defendants - Arshid Hussain and Qurban Ali - were known as Mad Ash and Blind Ash respectively.

The witness did not clarify which one she was referring to.

Asked when this happened, the witness said: "It was while I was still in care."

She added: "I told him what was happening. He wrote it down in his book."

The woman, who is now 36, also told the jury no-one helped her when she was living in children's homes.

The witness replied "No" when Ms Colborne asked if there was "any one person in any of the care homes you felt you could trust?"

The woman claimed that staff at the home were only concerned about "sitting at the end of the night and writing reports up - that was it".

Defendants on trial:

Arshid Hussain, 40, of High Street, East Cowick, Goole, faces 30 charges, including five counts of rape.

Qurban Ali, 53, of Clough Road, Rotherham, faces four charges, including rape and conspiracy to rape.

Majid Bostan, 37, of Ledsham Road, Rotherham faces one charge of indecent assault.

Sajid Bostan, 38, of Broom Avenue, Rotherham faces seven charges, including four counts of rape,.

Basharat Hussain, 39, of no fixed abode, faces 15 charges including two counts of rape.

Karen MacGregor, 58, of Barnsley Road, Wath, South Yorkshire, faces four charges, including conspiracy to rape.

Shelley Davies, 40, of Wainwright Road, Kimberworth Park, Rotherham, faces three charges, including conspiracy to rape.

The trial continues.