Rotherham man convicted of sexually assaulting 16-year-old girl

From the local Yorkshire newspaper the Star, one of the few Muslim grooming rape gang trials to be reported as the case proceeded probably because this was prosecuted as a sole defendant, and because his defence was deemed ‘newsworthy’

A 35-year-old man from Rotherham has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl as part of a National Crime Agency investigation into child sexual exploitation. Khurram Javed, from Faraday Court, Rotherham was on trial for three counts of sexual assault and one count of rape against two girls – one who was 13 at the time – between 2008 and 2014. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment after also being found not guilty of two counts of sexual assault and one count of rape, following a seven day trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

At the time of the offence in 2014, Javed was 31 years old and the victim was 16, and it was ‘plain and obvious she was younger than Javed’. Javed is the sixth person to be convicted as part of Operation Stovewood – the NCA’s investigation into non-familial child sexual exploitation and abuse in Rotherham between 1997-2013. With more trials scheduled throughout the year, this number is expected to rise.

There are currently 24 separate investigations under the Stovewood umbrella, with 131 suspects identified of which 48 have been convicted, charged, released under investigation or cautioned. 276 complainants are currently working with NCA officers on the investigation.

The BBC reported Javed’s defence thus

A woman who says she was sexually abused as a child “made up” up her story to further the English Defence League’s anti-Islamic campaign and to claim compensation, a court has heard.

The woman, who cannot be named due to the nature of the allegations, said she was aged between 12 and 13 when she was assaulted by Mr Javed. She said he sexually abused her an alleyway at the side of the Sizzling Wok takeaway in Bardsley Moor Road, in Rotherham. The court heard she had also been involved in a previous investigation into alleged sexual abuse in 2008 and had received compensation as a result.

Asked why she had not made a claim against Mr Javed at the time she said: “Because I was blocking a lot of it out.”

The court also heard she had attended English Defence League (EDL) speeches about “Muslim grooming”, although she said she had not been involved with the far-right group for more than a year.

Addressing the witness, defence barrister Patrick Cassidy said: “I’m suggesting that in this particular case you have not told the truth about what happened in 2008. And that your account is made up in part to gain further compensation and in part to carry on the campaign in relation to Muslims.”

The jury believed her, not him.