A man who groomed and abused a vulnerable teenager in care has had his prison sentence increased from 18 to 23 years by the Court of Appeal.

The survivor, who was just 15 when she was coerced into a so-called marriage with Raja Zulqurnean, lived in a Bradford children’s home at the time. Instead of being protected, she was exploited by a group of men and left unprotected by the very systems that should have safeguarded her.

Concerns were raised by care home staff about her situation, but despite clear warning signs, little action was taken. Shockingly, one of her key workers even attended the wedding. She was isolated from her family, subjected to controlling behaviour, and suffered sexual abuse which went unchallenged for years.

Speaking out, the survivor described her experiences as “an institutional scandal,” highlighting the deep failings of social services and other agencies in safeguarding children in their care. She said:

“I was married to an abuser. How could a child marry? Social services enabled it.”

Although her key social worker was later questioned by police on suspicion of malfeasance in public office, no further action was taken.

Her courage in sharing her story has been vital in securing accountability. In total, eight men have now been convicted in connection with her abuse.

'Victims not heard'

David Greenwood, director and Child Abuse solicitor at Switalskis, has supported the survivor throughout her case. He criticised the response of both social workers and the police at the time, saying:

“Staff in that children’s home knew these serious crimes were being committed, not just to this girl but to others at the same time as well.

“It should have been stopped. The police should have been there immediately and the girls should have been probably dispersed away from that place.”

The survivor has carried the impact of these failings for more than two decades. She describes living through her abuse repeatedly as she sought justice, saying:

“I feel like I’ve experienced more trauma than I did as a child, because I’ve lived it over and over again in my 30s and I never got a break.”

Serious failings by the council

Bradford Council has since admitted there were “serious failings” in how the victim was safeguarded, while West Yorkshire Police has stated it has significantly improved its safeguarding practices since the early 2010s. Findings from this case have been shared with the nationwide Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

How we can help

At Switalskis, we are incredibly proud of our client for her bravery in speaking out. Her case is a powerful reminder that justice is possible, even many years after the abuse took place.

We represent survivors of abuse across England and Wales with specialist expertise, compassion, and a deep understanding of the lasting impact of trauma.

If you have been affected by abuse, please know you are not alone. Confidential support and legal advice are available. To speak to someone in confidence, please contact our child abuse team .