Sex charge ‘result of smoking ban’

A Rochdale man accused of being part of a child sexual-exploitation ring has denied repeatedly having sex with under-age girls.

Abdul Rauf (43) said his accuser held a grudge against him because he would not let her smoke in his taxi.

Rauf and 10 other men from Oldham and Rochdale are on trial at Liverpool Crown Court charged with conspiring to engage children in sexual activity.

The five alleged victims, aged 13 to 15 and from Rochdale, were given alcohol, food and money in return for sex, the prosecution alleges.

It was while working as a taxi driver that Rauf came into contact with the girls, he said.

One of the alleged victims has claimed she had sex with Rauf, up to 30, times. Asked by Zarif Khan, defending, if that was true, Rauf told the court: “No, no. That’s not true. I never had sex with her.”

Rauf described the girl as “naughty” and said she started racially abusing him after he told her not to smoke when she was a passenger in his taxi. He broke down in tears describing the incident and said: “I tried to stop her smoking because it is against the law.”

Rauf admitted having sex with another girl, who is not a victim in this case, in the back of his car.

All the men deny conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with children under the age of 16.

The trial continues.

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