A predatory ringleader dubbed 'Boss man' has been jailed for 35 years, as six others are handed lengthy sentences for a campaign of sexual abuse against two girls in Rochdale.
Seven men responsible for a harrowing campaign of sexual exploitation against two vulnerable girls in Rochdale have been sentenced, with the ringleader receiving 35 years behind bars.
The court heard how the girls, who were teenagers in the mid-2000s, were abused for years in what was described as a deeply degrading and exploitative pattern of grooming. They were expected to submit to sex on demand, often in squalid conditions, including disused buildings, alleyways, cars and mattresses covered in filth.
The two victims, known as Girl A and Girl B, gave powerful testimony during a five-month trial. They spoke of how they were "passed around" by older men who saw them as objects to use and discard.
Minshull Street Crown Court heard that many of the offenders had links to the local taxi trade or market stalls. Mohammed Zahid, now 64, was convicted of 20 offences against the girls. He was branded the group's "Boss man" and described by the judge as showing a "complete lack of humanity".
Zahid was also found to have abused both girls, making him the only defendant to have done so. One of the victims was taken to a shop basement and raped. Zahid even made contact with the care home where one of the girls lived during the abuse.
- Mohammed Zahid, 64, of Station Road, Crumpsall – 35 years
- Kasir Bashir, 50, of Napier Street East, Oldham – 29 years
- Mushtaq Ahmed, 66, of Corona Avenue, Oldham – 27 years
- Mohammed Shahzad, 43, of Beswicke Royds Street, Rochdale – 26 years
- Naheem Akram, 48, of Manley Road, Rochdale – 26 years
- Nisar Hussain, 43, of Newfield Close, Rochdale – 19 years
- Roheez Khan, 39, of Athole Street, Rochdale – 12 years
The victims’ harrowing state
During sentencing, the judge described the case as "particularly grave", stating both girls came from troubled backgrounds and were repeatedly failed by those meant to protect them. The court was told how Girl B, at just ten years old, had been told by authorities that she had "prostituted herself" after reporting abuse.
Victim impact statements laid bare the lasting trauma. One survivor said the ordeal had destroyed her mental health, left her with PTSD, and consumed her adult life. Another described years of shame, anxiety and broken trust.
Despite the immense courage it took to bring their abusers to justice, the women say they still live in fear. One told the court: "This case has taken my childhood and now parts of my adulthood, too."
Of the seven men convicted, six were present in the courtroom. Bashir remains at large, having absconded before trial. The judge noted that the ringleader, Zahid, showed no remorse and continued to deny his crimes. Defence arguments about the defendants' age, character references and hardships in prison were dismissed as offering limited mitigation.
The judge said the public had the right to expect that predators like these would be punished severely. He also praised both victims for their "extraordinary courage".
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