NCA: Four men go on trial for sexually abusing schoolgirls in the 'Meadowhall scene'

Amin Aslam (36), of Leatham Avenue, Masbrough, Yasser Iqbal Hussain (35), of Norborough Road, Tinsley, Azad Akram Raja (35), of Adney Street, Sheffield, and a fourth defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, went on trial today (Monday) at Sheffield Crown Court accused of 12 child sex offences.

Prosecutor Ms Jayne Beckett said the case involved the sexual abuse of two schoolgirls in the early 2000s when they were as young as 13 and the defendants were aged between 15 to 21.

The girls hung around the “Meadhowhall scene” – a reference to the shopping centre – where they met older males.

“These males would often try to take advantage of them sexually...this was nothing short of sexual exploitation," said Ms Beckett.

She said the men would often buy drink and drugs for the girls.

• Aslam is accused of one count of rape and one count of indecent assault between April, 2001 and April, 2004, against a girl aged under 16 (referred to as Girl A).
• Raja is accused of three counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault against the same girl, during the same timeframe.
• Hussain is accused of one count of rape and two counts of indecent assault against the same girl, during the same timeframe.
• The fourth defendant faces two counts of indecent assault against a second girl (Girl B) between January, 2003 and June, 2003.

Girl A, who is now 31, was initially targeted when she was babysitting younger children and was left alone in the house, Ms Beckett said.

She would find herself in the company of older Asian males and they would be "flirty" with her.

“The first man to have sexual relations with Girl A was Amin Aslam,” said Ms Beckett.

“Girl A will accept that she found him good looking, but once she started to meet him, she found him to be pressurising and scary.

“It’s the prosecution’s case that all of the defendants knew Girl A was very young and under the age of consent when they had a relationship with her.

“She was probably about 13 or 14 and she would openly tell them how old she was.”

Ms Beckett said Aslam had picked the girl up in his car, taken her to a house, which the girl thought was in Masbrough, and raped her. The girl said she was also pressurised into performing oral sex on him.

“She was very young, she was very vulnerable and she was persuaded to perform oral sex on Aslam, whom she was afraid to upset,” added the prosecutor.

The girl came home one night with a “gang of Asian males”, which included Raja, Ms Beckett said.

Raja would buy the girl gifts such as vodka and perfume – behaviour which the prosecution said was grooming.

Raja is accused of raping the girl at his home, at her home and in various locations in and around Meadowhall, and indecently assaulting her on multiple occasions.

"Girl A also had a sexual relationship with a third male, and that male was Yasser Hussain,” said Ms Beckett.

“He was older than the others and Girl A found him attractive.

“He wore blue contact lenses to improve his appearance and he drove a nice car.”

Hussain is accused of raping and indecently assaulting the girl.

The fourth defendant is accused of indecently assaulting Girl B.

A jury of six men and six women were sworn in this morning and the trial is expected to last three weeks.

Judge David Dixon warned them to try the defendants on the evidence alone.

He told jurors: “What you have to do is put aside any stereotypes, any assumptions, and any emotions.”

The defendants, who have been charged as part of the National Crime Agency's investigation into abuse in Rotherham, deny all of the charges.

The trial continues.