Seven men who subjected two vulnerable girls to years of horrific sexual abuse in Rochdale have been found guilty of 50 offences, following a dedicated Greater Manchester Police investigation into non-recent child sexual exploitation.
A jury at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court today, Thursday 13 June, found the men guilty of 50 offences between 2001 and 2006, crimes so shocking they prompted comparisons to earlier grooming scandals that rocked the region.
The abusers, now aged between 39 and 67, denied all charges but were unanimously convicted following four months of deeply distressing evidence from two survivors who were just 13 when the abuse began.
Some of the men groomed girls from a market stall run by Mohammed Zahid, known as ‘Bossman’. Others, including taxi drivers, facilitated the abuse which happened in homes, shops, warehouses, and even out on the Moors.
The men expected the girls to be ready for sex "wherever, whenever", prosecutors told the court.
Greater Manchester Police described the girls as being “abused, degraded and discarded”. Their courage in testifying was described as “pivotal” to securing justice.
The seven men convicted were:
- Mohammed Zahid, 64, of Crumpsall – 20 offences including 10 counts of rape
- Kasir Bashir, 50, of Oldham – four offences including two counts of rape (convicted in his absence; now wanted by police)
- Mushtaq Ahmed, 67, of Oldham – nine offences including four counts of rape
- Roheez Khan, 39, of Rochdale – one count of rape
- Mohammed Shahzad, 44, of Rochdale – six offences including five counts of rape
- Nisar Hussain, 41, of Rochdale – three offences including two counts of rape
- Naheem Akram, 48, of Rochdale – seven offences including six counts of rape
Detectives have worked closely with the survivors since 2015 under Operation Lytton, a specialist GMP investigation into non-recent child sexual exploitation in Rochdale. Officers took over 3,000 statements and conducted more than 400 interviews with victims and suspects.
In total, 32 men have now been convicted and sentenced to 300 years in prison over the last decade for similar abuse in Rochdale.
Detective Chief Inspector Guy Laycock said the case was about “two incredibly brave women” who suffered “horrific” abuse and refused to be silenced any longer.
Assistant Chief Constable Steph Parker said: “We are totally focused on listening to survivors. Let me be clear: time is no barrier to justice. We are actively working with dozens of survivors across Greater Manchester to ensure no offender escapes justice.”
The Crown Prosecution Service praised the “bravery and fortitude” of the survivors for giving evidence in court. Liz Fell, of the CPS Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit, said the convictions “send a very clear message” that child abusers will be relentlessly pursued, no matter how long ago the crimes took place.
Future trials in Operation Lytton are already set through to 2026. Officers urge anyone who has experienced abuse to come forward.
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