Child-abuse accused asked for younger girls

A member of an alleged Greater Manchester child-abuse ring told his teenage victims to supply him with even younger girls, a court heard.

The witness, who cannot be identified, was giving evidence in the trial of 11 men accused of being part of a sexual exploitation ring operating in and around Rochdale, in 2008 and 2009.

Kabeer Hassan, 24, Abdul Aziz, 41, Abdul Rauf, 43, Mohammed Sajid, 35, Adil Khan, 42, Abdul Qayyum, 43, Mohammed Amin, 44, Qamar Shahzad, 29, Liaquat Shah, 41, and Hamid Safi, 22, have all pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child under 16.

A 59-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also denies the same charge. He also denies two counts of rape, aiding and abetting a rape, one count of sexual assault and an allegation of trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation.

Mr Hassan and Mr Shahzad also deny rape.

Mr Aziz, denies two counts of rape and one allegation of trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Mr Khan and Mr Rauf have also pleaded not guilty to trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Mr Sajid denies trafficking, two counts of rape and one allegation of sexual activity with a child.

Mr Amin denies sexual assault.

Mr Shah and Mr Safi each denied two counts of rape and Mr Safi has also pleaded not guilty to trafficking.

The jury at Liverpool Crown Court were shown a third day of police interviews with one alleged victim, recorded when she was 15-years-old. Questioned by a female police officer, the witness, now 19, said she had had sex with defendant Abdul Rauf, a taxi driver, “about 10 times” before she turned 16.

“Did he know how old you were?” the officer asked.

“He knew my age because my friend told him,” the girl replied.

“We were in his taxi and he just asked us how old we were. She told him I was 15 and she was 16 and he asked if we knew anyone younger and she said she did. He told us to bring them next time.”

She said Rauf would pay her friend about £20 if he had sex with one of them and £40 if he had sex with them both.

Around half that money would then go to co-defendant Abdul Aziz, accused of “taking over” the exploitation ring, she said.

The girls were abused by the men who used alcohol, money, drugs and threats of violence to force them to have sex, the court heard earlier.

Proceeding.