Bradford men who abused care home girl from age 13 jailed

Seven men from Bradford who groomed and sexually abused a vulnerable girl have been jailed.

The sentencing follows the jailing of Raja Zulqurnean for 18 years in May, although his term was subsequently increased to 23 years by the Court of Appeal.

The seven other men were convicted following trials at Bradford Crown Court and were sentenced at the same court earlier.

The victim, who has a right to anonymity, was sexually abused from the age of 13 and that continued when she was in a Bradford children’s home early 2000s.

The jury was told Zulqurnean had “married” the victim when she was aged 15 in the early 2000s and the “wedding” was attended by the girl’s key social worker despite care home staff fearing that she was being exploited.

Prosecutor Kama Melly KC told the court that the victim would be taken to properties in the city where she would be abused.

She would also be taken to secluded areas such as alleyways, industrial estates and parks and given alcohol.

Ms Melly told the court that the victim has chronic post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and high levels of anxiety as a result of the abuse she endured.

The victim addressed her abusers in a statement that was read out in court by the prosecutor.

She said she had been “exploited for your sexual gratification” and that “your actions have had far, far reaching consequences”.

“You didn’t just take my childhood, you destroyed it.”

The victim added: “You are all predators and it is with deep sorrow and anger that I reflect that West Yorkshire Police failed to adequately address our plight for so long.”

She said: “I don’t know how I have survived the trauma of the past six years,” adding that she had considered taking her own life.

• Basharat Khaliq, 45, was convicted of three counts of rape and four of indecent assault and was sentenced to 21 years in jail
• Mohammed Shezhad Hussain, 39, of Keighley, was found guilty of two rapes and three counts of indecent assault and was jailed for 12 years
• Mohammed Imran Akram, 43, of Bradford, was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault and was jailed for eight and a half years
• Safraz Ahmed Latif, 40, of Bradford, was found guilty of four indecent assaults and jailed for seven years
• Wajid Hussain, 42, of Bradford, was found guilty of indecent assault and jailed for six and a half years
• Mohammed Naheem, 39, of Bradford, was found guilty of three counts of indecent assault and jailed for six and a half years
• Nadeem Ali, 39, of Bradford, was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault and two counts of perverting the course of justice and jailed for six and a half years

Sentencing the men, Judge Nadim said: “You have contributed to inflicting profound and sustained sexual harm on a child.

“You deliberately chose to prey upon and exploit a vulnerable girl. She was neglected, vulnerable and desperate for care and affection.

“Each of you weaponised her needs for your own sexual gratification.

“The systems that were meant to protect her – parents, social services and police – failed her to different degrees.

“The debt owed by society to her for her courage is enormous.”

Additional reporting by Adam Laver and David Spereall.

• If you have been affected by child sexual abuse and sexual abuse or violence, details of help and support in the UK are available at the BBC Action Line.