Seven rapists convicted of vile abuse of vulnerable girls in Huddersfield

From the Huddersfield Examiner H/T Mrs F. I missed this in the news last night. Reporting restrictions on the trial must have been very strict; I couldn’t even follow its progress for the last month through the public information Cause List. 

Seven men have been convicted of raping two vulnerable schoolgirls in Huddersfield.

Usman Ali, Banaras Hussain, Abdul Majid, Gul Riaz and three other defendants were found guilty today (Tuesday) after a four-week trial. A jury at Leeds Crown Court took 12 hours and 49 minutes to convict the men of 12 offences, including rape and indecent assault.

Top row: Usman Ali, AKA Johnny, (left) and Banaras Hussain. Bottom row: Abdul Majid, AKA Smokey, (left) and Gul Riaz, AKA Saj. (Image: Huddersfield Examiner)

The victims, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were raped in the Huddersfield area between 1995 and 2007 after they were groomed between the ages of 12 and 14.

The rapists, three of whom cannot be named for legal reasons, have been remanded in custody and will be sentenced tomorrow morning (Wednesday).

Ali, also known as Johnny, 34, of Park Drive in Huddersfield, was unanimously convicted of two counts of rape.

Hussain, 39, of Scarborough Road in Shipley, was unanimously convicted of one count of rape.

Majid, also known as Smokey, 35, of Lightcliffe Road in Crosland Moor, was unanimously convicted of two counts of rape.
Riaz, also known as Saj, 43, of Balmoral Avenue in Crosland Moor, was unanimously convicted of two counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault.
A 37-year-old man was unanimously convicted of one count of rape.
A 36-year-old man was unanimously convicted of one count of rape.
A 30-year-old man was convicted of rape by a majority.

I am now watching the newspapers for the sentencing this morning.