Twenty people have been jailed for serious sexual offences committed in Kirklees decades ago.

These convictions relate to the abuse of three young girls in Dewsbury and Batley between 1995 and 2003. The girls were sexually assaulted repeatedly and in some cases given Class A drugs. One of these girls was just 12 years old when the abuse began.

The proceedings took place over six separate trials in Leeds Crown Court; starting in July 2023 and concluding in 2025 when sentencing of the final suspect took place.

The 20 perpetrators were convicted for a total of 277 years. The individual sentences are:

·       Ansar Mahmood Qayum (49, Dewsbury) – three counts of rape, two counts of indecent assault

·       Sajid Majid (53, Mirfield) – five counts of rape, three counts of indecent assault

·       Manaf Hussain (51, Heckmondwike) – six counts of rape, supplying Class A drugs

·       Tariq Azam (57, Dewsbury) – five counts of rape, four counts of indecent assault

·       Zulfiqar Ali (47, Dewsbury) – four counts of rape

·       Aurrangzeb Azam (56, Dewsbury) – ten counts of rape, indecent assault

·       Shakeel Haq (58, Birmingham) – three counts of rape, false imprisonment

·       Rafiq Patel (73, Batley) – two counts of rape

·       Zaheed Ali Novsarka (58, Batley) – two counts of rape

·       Mohammed Sheikh (53, Batley) – two counts of rape, two counts of indecent assault

·       Mohammed Yasin (52, Batley) – one count of rape, two counts of indecent assault

·       Liaquat Hussain Hanif (49, Batley) – two counts of rape, supplying Class A drugs

·       Ebrahim Mananiat (56, Batley) – two counts of rape

·       Ibrahim Khalifa (87, Bradford) – two counts of rape

·       Shafiq Siddique (56, Dewsbury) – one count of rape

·       Mohammed Munir Shaffi (48, Dewsbury) – two counts of rape

·       Mohammed Ishtiaq Hussain (51, Dewsbury) – one count of rape

·       Abbas Kaji (57, Batley) – one count of rape

·       Donna Lynn (45, Cleckheaton) – controlling prostitution

·       Tasawar Hussain (46, Dewsbury) – one count of rape

DCI Rob Stevens of Kirklees District Police stated that “This has been a major investigation into truly appalling sexual abuse of vulnerable girls in Kirklees by a large number of sexual predators.”

DCI Rob Stevens stressed the importance of the courage of the victims who have come forward and reported the offending that they were subject to stating “these women showed enormous bravery in giving evidence in lengthy trials and I hope they can feel a sense of pride in the determination they have displayed to see justice done.”   

How can Switalskis help?

Survivors of abuse deserve justice. That includes accountability, but also access to compensation for the harm they have suffered.

At Switalskis, our specialist abuse lawyers have decades of experience securing justice for survivors of child sexual exploitation. We understand the emotional and legal complexities of these cases and work tirelessly to ensure our clients receive the compensation they deserve.

If you have been impacted and would like to discuss your experience in confidence, our specialist abuse team can help. Call 0808 258 8041 or email help@switalskis.com  .