Rotherham abuse trial: Woman denies mistaken identity claims

A WOMAN who claims she was sexually abused by five men as a teenager has denied she has confused them for other “Asian males” years later.
Abid SaddiqAbid Saddiq
Abid Saddiq

The complainant, known as Girl F, was giving evidence at Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday where six men are on trial for 27 child sexual exploitation offences against seven girls.

Abid Saddiq (38), of Walter Street, Masbrough, denies repeatedly forcing Girl F to perform oral sex on him in an alleyway next to Boots in Rotherham town centre when she would have been 14 or 15. 

Mr Satyanand Beharrylal, defending for Saddiq, asked Girl F: “When you went to Boots alleyway that first time did you expect oral sex to take place?”

The woman replied: “No.”

Mr Beharrylal said: “Why did you go to Boots alleyway if you knew oral sex would take place there?”

The woman said: “Because they were telling us to come down the alleyway so we just went down to see what they wanted.”

Mr Beharrylal said: “When you say ‘they’, who are you referring to?”

The woman said: “Quite a few people.”

She said she had continued going to Boots alleyway because she had been with her friends.

The woman denied that smoking or drinking as a teenager had affected her memory.

Mr Beharrylal said: “Has your memory of the Asian males you had contact with become confused?” 

The woman said: “No.”

The barrister asked: “Are you sure you haven’t confused Abid Saddiq with another Asian male?”

The woman said she was “100 per cent” sure she hadn’t.

Masaued Malik (34) denies two counts of indecent assault against the girl which were alleged to have repeatedly taken at Rotherham Bus Station.

Mr Sukhdev Garcha, defending for Malik, also claimed the girl had wrongly identified his client as one of the Asian males who had sexually assaulted her, which the woman denied

He said: “Masaued Malik says he never had sex with you at the bus station or the disabled toilets. Did you?”

The woman said: “Yes.”

Sharaz Hussain  (34), of Fitzwilliam Road, Eastwood, denies two counts of indecent assault against the girl. Girl F claims he repeatedly forced her to perform oral sex on him in Clifton Park.

His barrister asked the woman whether she had wrongly identified Hussain at a police identity procedure in March 2018.

The woman replied: “I know what happened in Clifton Park and I know who Sharaz is.”

Defendant 5 (32), who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies raping the girl when she was 15 and he was aged 14 or 15. He also denies three counts of indecent assault against her.

His barrister, Mr Hugh Barton ased: “Is it possible you mixed him up with someone else?” 

The woman replied: “No.”

Aftab Hussain (40), of York Road, Rotherham, also denies two counts of indecent assault against the girl.

The charges have all been brought as part of the National Crime Agency’s Operation Stovewood investigation.

The trial continues.