MORE than 20 members of a child sex abuse gang have been given prison sentences in the latest grooming scandal to mirror those in Rotherham and Rochdale.
The men received sentences of up to 30 years each for sexually exploiting young girls in West Yorkshire, involving abuse described as “abhorrent in the extreme” after girls were “traded like commodities.”
In total the 24 men were jailed for a combined 346 years following prosecutions arising out of Operation Tourway – West Yorkshire Police’s investigation into the rape, sexual abuse and trafficking of eight girls in the North Kirklees area, including the towns of Batley and Dewsbury, between 1999 and 2012.
Among the worst offenders was Asif Ali, 53, from Batley.
He was sentenced to 24 years in prison 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.
Others to receive the longest sentences were:
● Zafar Qayum, 44, from Dewsbury, sentenced to 30 years for six counts of rape, five counts of indecent assault and three counts of aiding and abetting rape;
● Khurum Raziq, 42, from Heckmondwike, sentenced to 22 years for eight offences of rape;
● Ansar Qayum, 47, from Dewsbury, sentenced to 20 years for four counts of rape and one offence of attempted indecent assault;
● Nasar Hussain, 46, from Dewsbury, sentenced to 18 years for three offences of rapes.
Details can only now be divulged after reporting restrictions that covered five trials over two years were lifted on Friday. It followed the sentencing of the latest seven men at Leeds Crown Court.
Four men convicted in the series of trials received sentences of more than 20 years.
Detective Chief Inspector Oliver Coates, said: “The victims’ 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 so far, in what has been a long trial process.
“Some of these men received in excess of 30 years each for the multiple offences they committed and the callous and degrading way they treated these then-young girls.
“Men such Asif Ali committed appalling sexual abuse on a scale which can barely be believed and saw their young victims as defenceless commodities to be abused and traded.
“Far from being powerless however, those young women have instead fought back as adults and forced them to account for their crimes.”
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