‘That’s how it worked in Rochdale’ – accused ‘led the way’ in ‘child sexual exploitation’, trial told

From The Manchester Evening News

Quick recap from the MEN for readers new to the reports or who might have forgotten:

Prosecutors claimed that a man on trial accused of sexual offences against two teenage girls in Rochdale ‘led the way’ in ‘child sexual exploitation’.

Mohammed Zahid, who jurors have heard was allegedly known by the nickname ‘boss man’, is accused of raping both girls in the mid 2000s. He denies all the charges and is standing trial alongside six other men, who have also pleaded not guilty to all the allegations they face.

Prosecutor Rossano Scamardella KC began his closing speech to the jury today. (Tuesday) He argued that although they did not know each other at the time of the allegations, they gave similar evidence about how a ‘string of men’ would allegedly ‘take it in turns’ to abuse them in different properties.

Mr Scamardella said: “They didn’t know each other yet, but describe Mohammed Zahid arranging for men to attend an address to which he would supply young girls for those men to have sex with. Mohammed Zahid was a man who led the way in Rochdale in child sexual exploitation.

“If a man wanted sex with a young girl he would pay Zahid a modest sum of money and a girl would be supplied. That’s how it worked in Rochdale.”

The KC continued: “The evidence against Mohammed Zahid is overwhelming in this case. The evidence from the complainants and the supporting evidence you have before you creates a compelling case against him. Add to that his abject failure to account for himself in the witness box means there is only one conclusion for you to reach. He is guilty in respect of every single count he faces on this indictment.” Jurors have heard that Mr Zahid has previously been ‘to prison for sexual offending’.

Speaking about Mr Bashir, who is not present and is being tried in his absence, the prosecutor said: “He is not here but he has got a lot to answer for. “He is another liar, just like his two close friends Mohammed Zahid and Mushtaq Ahmed.

Mr Scamardella claimed Mr Ahmed is ‘cunning and manipulative’ and that he told ‘lie after lie after lie’. He claimed that Mr Ahmed ‘knew precisely what they were doing was wrong’. The prosecutor said: “He liked to have sex with children but he knew he shouldn’t be doing it.”

Mr Scamardella said that Mr Khan, who arrived in the UK in 2005, is a ‘convicted child sex offender’, in relation to the abuse of a 15-year-old girl. He said of Mr Khan: “He wasted no time at all, you may think, in finding girls to abuse. Like his friend Zahid, he couldn’t help himself.” He claimed that the men consider it their right to have sex with whoever they want’. Mr Scamardella added: “When they are finished with one they move onto the next.”

According to the court list the trial continues today (Wednesday)