Seven men have been incarcerated for perpetrating child sexual abuse offences against two young girls in Rotherham throughout the 2000s.
The Crown Prosecution Service charged Mohammed Amar, 42, Mohammed Siyab, 44, Yasser Ajaibe, 39, Mohammed Zameer Sadiq, 49, Abid Saddiq, 43, Tahir Yassin, 38, and Ramin Bari, 37, after an inquiry conducted by the National Crime Agency under Operation Stovewood.
Operation Stovewood is a significant inquiry into child sexual abuse and exploitation that occurred in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, from 1997 to 2013.
The two victims in this instance were ages 11 and 15 when the offences commenced, and both were placed in the care system during the duration of the offences.
The seven offenders received a cumulative sentence of 106 years of imprisonment after being convicted in Sheffield Crown Court of child sexual abuse charges perpetrated between April 2003 and April 2008, due to Operation Stovewood.
Zoe Becker, for the CPS, said: “These seven men deliberately preyed on two young girls they knew were vulnerable and, using drugs and alcohol, exploited them for their sexual gratification.
“The cruelty and abuse the victims suffered at the hands of these defendants was horrific and has continued to have a lasting impact on their lives today.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank both the victims for coming forward and giving evidence. This has been a complex and challenging case, and we have brought these offenders to justice because of their courage and fortitude.
“I hope these convictions send a clear message that the CPS, working closely alongside law enforcement, will relentlessly pursue justice and prosecute those who sexually exploit children whenever that abuse took place.
“All children have the right to feel safe and protected. I encourage anyone in a similar position to come forward to report these incidents to the police. It is never too late to seek justice – you are not alone and help is available.”
The defendants abused the girls: with Amar, Ajaibe, Sadiq and Sayib abusing one victim and Yassin and Bari abusing the other. Saddiq abused both girls.
The defendants regularly picked up the victims in their cars and gave them cigarettes, alcohol, cannabis and money. The girls would then be assaulted, forced to perform sexual acts or raped.
The jury found the defendants guilty when presented with the large amount of evidence compiled by the prosecution thanks to Operation Stovewood.
The victims involved were able to give their best evidence for this case using extraordinary measures. This allowed one of the victims to have their cross-examination video-recorded before the entire trial, away from the courtroom and the defendants.
To deal with some of the more complex and challenging child sexual abuse cases like this, the CPS has a dedicated Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit to build and conduct robust instances, increase the amount of successful prosecutions and share specialist understanding nationally.
NCA Senior Investigating Officer Stuart Cobb said: “These men were cruel and manipulative, grooming their victims and then exploiting them by subjecting them to the most harrowing abuse possible. They were responsible for some of the worst offences we investigated under Operation Stovewood.
“I can only once again pay tribute to the victims who were brave enough to come forward, tell their stories and confront their abusers. What happened to them can never be undone, but I hope the sentences handed down here will at least give them a sense that their abusers have been held to account and justice has been done.
“We and our partners will continue to do all we can to support them going forward.”
One of the defendants, Saddiq, was already serving a 20-year prison sentence, having been convicted in 2019 of sexual offences under a separate sub-operation investigated under Operation Stovewood.
- Zoe Becker was the reviewing lawyer for this case as the former Unit Head of the CPS’ Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit, part of the Serious Economic and Organised Crime International Directorate (SEOCID).
- The seven defendants were all sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on the 12 and 13 September 2024.
- Mohammed AMAR [DOB: 10/06/1981] of Elizabeth Way, Rotherham, was convicted of two counts of indecent assault. He has been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with two years extended licence.
- Mohammed SIYAB [DOB: 12/07/1979] of Stevenson Drive, Rotherham, was convicted of two counts of rape, one count of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 and one count of trafficking. He has been sentenced to 25 year imprisonment with 12 months extended licence.
- Yasser AJAIBE [DOB: 28/10/1984] of Walter Street, Rotherham, was convicted of one count of indecent assault. He has been sentenced to six years imprisonment with 12 12-month extended licence.
- Mohammed ZAMEER SADIQ [DOB: 02/11/1974] of Richard Road, Rotherham, was convicted of one count of rape and one count of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13. He has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment with 12 months extended licence.
- Abid SADDIQ [DOB: 20/01/1981], formerly of Rotherham, was convicted of three counts of rape and one of indecent assault. He has been sentenced to 24 years imprisonment with 12 months extended licence.
- Tahir YASSIN [DOB: 24/01/1986] of Burngreave Street, Sheffield, was convicted of eight counts of rape. He has been sentenced to 13 years imprisonment.
- Ramin BARI [DOB: 07/06/1986] of Derby Street, Sheffield, was convicted of four counts of rape. He has been sentenced to nine years imprisonment.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.