Faces of evil

GUILTY . . . eight of the nine men convicted of being part of a child sexual exploitation ring: (top row, from the left) Abdul Rauf, Hamid Safi, Mohammed Sajid and Abdul Aziz, (bottom row, from the left) Abdul Qayyum, Adil Khan, Mohammed Amin and Kabeer Hassan

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Police and CPS apologise to victim of child-sex ring
GREATER Manchester Police and the Crown Prosecution Service have apologised for their “failings” to a victim who fell into the hands of two Oldham men at the centre of a child-sex exploitation ring.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is holding an investigation into the botched inquiry — linked to nine men from Oldham and Rochdale found guilty yesterday of “grooming” young girls.

A complaint by a 15-year-old girl — who told the police what had been happening to her in August, 2008 — was not taken seriously enough and led to abuse for four more months.

She specifically spoke at the time of her torment at the hands of Kabeer Hassan (25), of Lacrosse Avenue, Werneth, who was found guilty of conspiracy and rape yesterday at Liverpool Crown Court, and a 59-year-old from Oldham, who cannot be named for legal reasons and who was convicted of two rapes. The 59-year-old was also found guilty of aiding and abetting rape, sexual assault and trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation.

A decision not to charge the two men was made by a CPS lawyer in July, 2009, because he did not think a jury would find her “credible”, it has been revealed.

Nazir Afzal, chief crown prosecutor for the North-West, announced the decision by the CPS lawyer at the time was a “judgment call” .

Mr Afzal reviewed the case when he took up the post and immediately decided to overturn the “wrong” decision not to charge the first two men as he believed the victim was “entirely credible”.

Mr Afzal said: “Had these two individuals been charged back in 2009 it may well have been that she would not have been passed around as the evidence suggests that she has been. I recognise that. I understand that. It’s not something that I am extremely proud about. “

The victim, who was lured by the gang, like many of their victims, said she would be having sex with up to five different men in a day.

Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Steve Heywood admits the force should have done “better” for the victim. Rochdale Council admit it “missed some opportunities” and improvements have been made.

The nine men will be sentenced later today at Liverpool Crown Court.



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