Rotherham abuse trial: Defendants and charges

The defendants, who deny all the charges, are as follows:

Abid Saddiq (38), Walter Street, Masbrough, is accused of ten offences between 1998 to 2002 against seven girls. He faces two counts of rape, five counts of indecent assault, two counts of child abduction (jointly charged with Defendant 6) and one count of aiding and abetting Defendant 6 to indecently assault.

Sharaz Hussain (34) Fitzwilliam Road, Eastwood, is accused of four counts of indecent assault against two girls in 2002.

Masaued Malik (34) is accused of three counts of indecent assault against two girls between 1999 and 2002.

Aftab Hussain (40), York Road, Rotherham, is accused of two counts of indecent assault against one girl between 2000 and 2002.

Defendant 5 - who cannot be named for legal reasons - is accused of one count of rape and three counts of indecent assault between 2001 and 2002 against one girl.

Defendant 6 – who cannot be named for legal reasons - is charged with four offences against three girls. These include, two counts of child abduction against two girls in 2002, jointly charged with Abid Saddiq. He is also accused of indecently assaulting another girl between 2000 and 2001, aided and abetted by Saddiq, plus a fourth charge of aiding and abetting Saddiq to rape her.

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

The trial, which was opened yesterday, is due to last eight weeks at Sheffield Crown Court.

See the Advertiser (online and in print) for regular updates from court.