Child sex abuse trial: Arshid Hussain "never interviewed by police"

AN ALLEGED child abuser - who is accused of 29 offences including six counts of rape - has never been interviewed by police about the charges, a court heard.

The jury in the ongoing Rotherham CSE trial at Sheffield Crown Court was told today that Arshid Hussain, the central defendant,  has never been interviewed in relation to Operation Clover – the investigation into historical sex offences involving him and six other defendants.

Mr Stephen Uttley, defending for Hussain, said the jury would be told next week about the reasons why the police interviews did not take place.

He said the information was due to be disclosed in court following agreed admissions by the defence and prosecution.

Due to health reasons Hussain (40) of East Cowick, Goole, has not yet appeared in court since the trial started on December 8 to hear evidence against him from nine of the 12 complainants.

A video link to Hussain’s home was set up on January 5 and since then Hussain has appeared from his bed.

His barrister, Mr Tahir Khan QC, told the jury earlier this month his client was in poor health because he was shot in the abdomen in 2005, which damaged his spinal cord and since then has been a paraplegic. 

Mr Khan added: “His spleen was ruptured and removed and the base of his left lung was also damaged.

“He has been wheelchair bound since then and for the last two years has been completely bed ridden and struggles to even sit up for ten minutes. 

“He has big sores on each buttock.

“Attempts to close the wounds with skin grafts have failed and he's also developed gall stones in the last two years but he’s considered unfit for surgery.”

Mr Khan said his client was heavily medicated and struggled to stay awake and maintain concentration.

Hussain denies all the charges.

The trial continues.

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