Child sex abuse trial: Accused "lied about not knowing other defendants"

Ishtiaq Khaliq told Sheffield Crown Court this morning that he did not associate with seven other defendants on trial for assaulting girls aged under 16 in Rotherham more than a decade ago.

But prosecutor Miss Michelle Colborne said this afternoon that Khaliq had a violent past and was lying about not knowing the other men.

The prosecutor said two of the complainants had said Ishy — as the Crown says Khaliq was known — and Masy — the apparent nickname of Masoued Malik — were his good friends, with Masy being Khaliq’s “best friend”.

Miss Colborne said: “You would associate with him (Masy) and Siggy (said to be Sageer Hussain), not just at Clifton Park but at Boots alleyway, that’s where you performed sexual acts isn’t it?”

Khaliq replied: “No, that's not true.”

The court has previously heard that one of the female complainants, who alleges Khaliq forced her to perform oral sex on him when she was around 13, had a 2011 Facebook conversation with Khaliq.

On the social media site, the woman said: “Going to block you again, you're a p***k”.

Miss Colborne said the ‘again’, suggested familiarity and that Khaliq did know the woman, which he denied.

The prosecutor said that maybe he was the “Ishy” who exposed himself to the  “child” and told her to perform a sex act.

Khaliq responded: “No.”

Miss Colborne said: “Maybe that’s what she's referring to in the past because you full well knew her, because she’s not the only child (you said that to), is she?”

Khaliq answered: “That’s not true.”

Miss Colborne said the three complainants, who do not know each other, have all identified Khaliq as Ishy and said he lived on Carlisle Street and had a “curtains”-style haircut.

Khaliq said he could not remember what his hairstyle was like in the early 2000s.

Miss Colborne invited the jury to look at a picture of the defendant taken at the time where he could be seen with the haircut the alleged victims had claimed.

She said the women claimed the Ishy who committed the offences also had a girlfriend with had the same name as the accused’s long-term partner.

Miss Colborne said one of the complainants also knew the correct names of two of his sisters.

The prosecutor also said he was playing down his previous offences and that he had been violent towards women in the past and had pleaded guilty to assault in September 2012.

The defendant denied this assault was against a woman to which the prosecutor said this would be looked at again in the trial in due course.

She added that his 2002 theft conviction, which he pleaded guilty to at Sheffield Crown Court, was for an offence against a 13-year-old girl.

He said: “It was a long time ago, but yes I think it was.”

Khaliq denies the charges against him, as do his co-defendants.

The trial continues.