Two men jailed for raping teenage girl in Rotherham
Two men have been jailed for raping teenage girls as young as 14 in Rotherham.
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Kessur Ajaib, 44, and Mohammed Makhmood, 43, were jailed for eight and seven years, respectively, for their abuse of the same teenage girl two decades ago.
A third man, Sageer Hussain, 40, who is currently serving a 19-year prison sentence for rape, was also sentenced to a further three years behind bars for the abuse of girls as young as 13 between 1999 and 2002.
Liz Fell, Specialist Prosecutor for the CPS Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit, said: "Ajaib, Hussain and Makhmood deliberately exploited the victims’ vulnerabilities, abusing them in the most appalling way and leaving a lasting impact on two women who they callously targeted and mistreated as children.
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"These defendants have now been held accountable for their horrific crimes. I want to once again thank both women for their immense courage in coming forward and staying engaged throughout the legal process. Their determination and strength in seeing this case through has been crucial in bringing these offenders to justice.
“The CPS will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to pursue perpetrators of child sexual abuse and secure justice for victims, no matter how many years have passed."
During the trial, the court heard that after Makhmood raped his victim, he called her demeaning names, spat at her and laughed at her.
National Crime Agency senior investigating officer Alan Hastings said: “I would like to recognise how courageous the victim was in reporting the sexual abuse that Kessur Ajaib and Mohammed Makhmood subjected her to as a child
“It must have been extremely difficult for the woman to relive that period in her life, but the information she shared enabled us to identify corroborating evidence and secure justice for her.
“I hope it will bring the woman some closure to know that Ajaib and Makhmood are now in prison.
“I encourage victims to report child sexual abuse to police if they feel ready to do so. Specially trained officers are ready and waiting to help.