A grooming gang of 15 men has been sentenced to a combined 188 years in prison for the repeated sexual abuse of a teenage girl in Bradford, bringing to an end a long-running investigation and a series of court trials spanning several years.The men were convicted for a total of 88 rape offences committed between 2007 and 2011, when the victim was aged between 14 and 18.Reporting restrictions that had prevented publication of the case details were lifted by Bradford Crown Court after the conclusion of all related trials.
Survivor: ‘This has consumed my life for nearly 20 years’
Speaking after the sentencing, the survivor said the abuse had left lifelong scars and robbed her of her childhood.“The men involved have taken more away from me than what I can ever describe in words,” she said.“All in all, this has consumed my life for just short of 20 years. It is not something which I can forget.” She added that the trauma she endured as a teenager would remain with her for the rest of her life.
Investigation began after missing person reports raised concerns
Police first identified the woman as a potential victim of child sexual exploitation in late 2015 after reviewing multiple missing person reports linked to her.A full-scale investigation was launched in February 2016, eventually leading to charges against numerous suspects. The case was subsequently split into multiple trials because of its complexity.
Long jail terms handed down
The sentences reflected both the scale of the offending and the number of rapes committed by individual members of the group.Among those receiving the longest terms were Yousaf Bhatti, who was jailed for 17 years for eight rapes, and Anwar Aziz, Omar Taj and Faisal Rashid, who each received 15-year sentences for multiple rape offences.Other defendants were handed prison terms ranging from eight years to more than 13 years.
Police praise victim’s courage
Detective Chief Inspector Vicky Greenbank described the offences as “abhorrent” and praised the survivor for her courage throughout the investigation and court proceedings.“These men horrifically abused a child for their own sexual gratification,” she said. “What they did was abhorrent and they deserve to be in jail for a long time.”She added that she hoped the convictions would encourage other victims of abuse to come forward, regardless of how much time had passed since the offences occurred.With reporting restrictions now lifted, authorities say the outcome delivers a measure of justice for the survivor after years of legal proceedings.Police said they hope the case sends a clear message that child sexual exploitation offences will be pursued, no matter how long ago they occurred.
