Child sex abuse trial: Grooming gang guilty of 55 offences

The jury in the Rotherham child sex exploitation trial today returned guilty verdicts on five out of seven defendants after more than three days of deliberations.

Another defendant admitted ten offences before the trial began.

Arshid Hussain (40), of East Cowick in Goole, was convicted of 23 allegations including rape, assault, indecent assault and conspiracy to rape. He was found not guilty of five offences.

His brother, Basharat Hussain (38), who was on remand, was convicted of 15 offences including indecency with a child, procuring a female for sex, indecent assault, rape, false imprisonment and threats to kill.

A third brother, Bannaras Hussain (36), pleaded guilty to ten charges including rape and indecent assault against seven victims.

His victims included three women who were not complainants in the trial.

Karen MacGregor (58), of Wath, was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to rape, conspiring to procure a child to become a common prostitute and false imprisonment.

Basharat Hussain (38), who was on remand, was convicted of 15 offences including indecency with a child, procuring a female for sex, indecent assault, rape, false imprisonment and threats to kill.

Qurban Ali (53), of Clough Road, Rotherham, was found guilty of conspiracy to rape but cleared of three other charges.

Shelley Davies (40), was convicted of conspiracy to procure a woman under 21 for sexual intercourse and false imprisonment and convicted on both counts.

Brothers Sajid Bostan (38), of Sherwood Crescent, Rotherham, and Majid Bostan, of Ledsham Road, Broom, were both cleared of all the charges against them.

The 55 offences against took place mainly in Rotherham, but also spanned Sheffield, York, London and Blackpool and were committed between 1987 and 2003.

The six guilty defendants will be sentenced on Friday.

None of the defendants present in court showed any visible reaction as the verdicts were read out.

Arshid Hussain appeared by video link from his home, where he lay in bed with his eyes closed.

The camera, initially pointed at his face, was moved as guilty verdicts against him were read out and sounds like crying could be heard.

When all verdicts had been read Hussain’s bail was revoked and police officers were ordered to escort him to court.