Grooming gang of 20 are jailed for 219 years for sex attacks on girls

Twenty men found guilty of the 'abhorrent' rape and abuse of girls as young as 12 in West Yorkshire have been given 219 years combined jail time.

The crimes took place between 2001 and 2010 in Calderdale and led to multiple complex investigations being conducted into a number of separate allegations.

Reporting restrictions have up to now meant details of the enquiries could not be disclosed but these have since been lifted meaning the outcomes can be shared.

This comes as an investigation was launched in 2016 into allegations of child sexual abuse and exploitation of two girls between 2006 and 2009 when the girls were aged between 13 and 16.

A separate enquiry then commenced in the same year following reports of repeated sexual abuse of a vulnerable young girl between 2002 and 2006, starting when she was 13 years old.

And a third began in 2018 into the sexual abuse of a girl in the Calderdale area between 2001 and 2002. The girl was aged between 12 and 13 at the time of offending.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Claire Smith of Calderdale District Police, said: 'Firstly, I want to acknowledge the sheer courage of the victims and survivors in each of these investigations; not only for having the bravery to come forward initially but also for enduring the criminal justice system and the weight of criminal trials and reporting restrictions in place.

'Due to legal restrictions, it has not been possible to publicise these outcomes until now. I welcome the sentences handed to these offenders for the abhorrent abuse these young girls were subjected to, which was heard by the jurors in each trial over the last few years.

'Tackling child sexual exploitation and abuse is a top priority for West Yorkshire Police and our partners. This is an abhorrent crime which has a lifelong impact on victims and survivors. I hope highlighting the prosecution of these offenders will serve as a reminder that we will continue to do all we can to put perpetrators behind bars and protect victims and survivors.

'It's never too late to report child sexual abuse. I encourage anyone who was abused as a child to speak to someone and seek support. Reports of non-recent abuse are handled by officers who are specially trained in supporting victims and survivors and dealing with such sensitive cases.'

Among the lengthiest sentences was that handed to Malik Quadeer, 67, who was found guilty of five counts of rape and jailed for 22 years.

Among the shortest was one given to Sajid Adalat, 48, who was told he must spend seven years behind bars after being found guilty of rape.