Rochdale groomers ‘destroyed my life’, victim tells court

The victim personal statement of Girl A was read out ahead of the sentencing of seven men who were convicted in June of various child sex offences relating to her and another teenage girl in the town between 2001 and 2006.

Both were treated as “sex slaves” from the age of 13, said prosecutors, “amid deeply troubled home lives” as they were given drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, places to stay and people to be with.

Soon after, they were expected to have sex “whenever and wherever” the defendants and other men wanted, in filthy flats, on rancid mattresses, in cars, car parks, alleyways and disused warehouses.

Girl A told the jury at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court that she could have been targeted by more than 200 offenders as her phone number was swapped but said “there was that many it was hard to keep count”.

Read more: In full: Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan for Gaza

Read more: Woman, 43, charged with murder of her three children after trio stabbed to death

On Monday, in a statement read out by prosecutor Rossano Scamardella KC, she said: “My life has been destroyed from the abuse of these men.

“The abuse has affected every part of my life, from what I look like, relationships, health, to my mental health.

“Over the last 10 years when I finally plucked up the courage to approach the police and disclose the abuse I suffered, it has been an absolute emotional rollercoaster for me.

“I have provided about 40 video interviews having to speak about what I was subjected to, talking about it out loud and explaining it in detail.

“This has been and still is consuming my life. I hope that one day I will be able to move forward with my life.

“The jury finding these men guilty I hope is going to help me take another step forward to get my life back, as I have already lost my childhood. And now because of the case I’m losing part of my adult life, continually revisiting the abuse of my childhood.”

Girl B read her victim personal statement from the witness box as she urged other victims to come forward to the police.

She said: “I coped with what these men did to me as at the time I believed that every man I came into contact with would expect sex. It is horrific that I didn’t know any different.

“My way of coping was to block out most of what had been done to me. I have felt shame and guilt all my life for what these men did.

“My life has been on hold for the last 20 years, I have never been able to move on from the abuse.

“Before the CSE (child sexual exploitation) team came to me I had no faith in the police, but meeting someone who believed and understood everything meant I could trust for the first time.

“It is important that people know that the team who have worked on my case have been amazing.

“People in the press and social media have told victims of CSE not to go to the police. This is wrong.

“I want these victims to know that if they feel ready to deal with what happened to them they shouldn’t wait, they should go to the CSE team because they will do a good job.

“It doesn’t matter how much time has gone by, it is still possible to get justice.

“The day I watched the verdicts changed my life, I instantly had a massive weight lifted off me and I now feel like I can live my life. I do not need to feel ashamed, and I have already started that process.”

Judge Jonathan Seely praised both women for their “extraordinary courage” in making their statements, coming forward with their complaints and then going through the trial process.

Sentencing of the defendants is expected to be passed on Wednesday afternoon.

Mohammed Zahid, 65, of Station Road, Crumpsall, was convicted of raping Girl A and Girl B, who did not know each other, on multiple occasions.

Jurors also found him guilty of offences of indecency with a child and procuring a child to have sex.

Mushtaq Ahmed, 67, of Corona Avenue, Oldham, and Kasir Bashir, 50, of Napier Street East, Oldham, were convicted of multiple counts of rape and indecency with a child, in relation to Girl B.

Mohammed Shahzad, 44, of Beswicke Royds Street, Rochdale; Naheem Akram, 49, of Manley Road, Rochdale; and Nisar Hussain, 41, of New Field Close, Rochdale were convicted of multiple counts of rape against Girl A.

Roheez Khan, 39, of Athole Street, Rochdale, was found guilty of a single count of rape against Girl A.

Bashir will be sentenced in his absence after he fled the UK while on bail before the trial started.