Child sex abuse trial: Jury retires to consider verdict on 61 charges

The judge in the case has this week been summing up the evidence given by 12 alleged victims over the past two months and the jury began deliberations this morning.

The offences are alleged to have taken place mainly in Rotherham, but also span Sheffield, York, London and Blackpool between 1987 and 2003.

Arshid Hussain (40), of East Cowick in Goole, is accused of 28 offences, including rape, assault, indecent assault, conspiracy to rape and aiding and abetting rape, while his brother Basharat Hussain (38), has denied 15 offences including indecency with a child, procuring a female for sex, indecent assault, rape, false imprisonment and threats to kill.

Children’s charity found Karen MacGregor (58), of Wath, is charged with two counts of conspiracy to rape, conspiring to procure a child to become a common prostitute and false imprisonment, while 40-year-old Shelley Davies (40) is charged with conspiracy to procure a woman under 21 for sexual intercourse and false imprisonment.

Another pair of brother is also among the seven defendants — Sajid Bostan (38), of Sherwood Crescent, Rotherham, faces seven charges including rape, indecent assault and aiding and abetting rape, while 37-year-old Majid Bostan (37), of Ledsham Road, Broom, denies indecently assaulting a girl under 16 in Rotherham.

The seventh defendant is Qurban Ali (53), of Clough Road, Rotherham, who faces four charges of conspiracy to rape, indecent assault, rape, and procuring a woman under 21 for sexual intercourse.

All the defendants deny all the charges against them.