Twelve charged over Rotherham child sex abuse investigation sent to Crown Court

From the Rotherham Advertiser

TWELVE men accused of 44 offences in connection with an investigation into child sexual abuse in Rotherham will appear before the Crown Court in December.

The defendants, who appeared before Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, are (all addresses are Rotherham unless stated): Ilqak Yousef (33) of Tooker Road; Imran Akhtar (36) of Godstone Road; Nabeel Kurshid (34), of Weetwood Road; Ajmal Rafiq (38), of Warwick Street; Tanweer Ali (36), of Godstone Road; Aftab Hussain (38), of York Road; Abid Saddiq (36), of South Street; Sharaz Hussain (33), of Fraser Road; and Salah Ahmed El-Hakam (38), of Tudor Close, Sheffield; Mohammed Ahsen (33), of Leyland, Lancashire; Waseem Khaliq (33), of Wetherby; and Masaued Malik (33).

Not guilty pleas were indicated for all but one of the defendants. Malik gave no indication of plea.The 12 men were bailed to appear before Sheffield Crown Court on December 1. 

The charges are as follows:
Abid Saddiq: four counts of rape of a girl aged under 16; five of indecent assault of a girl aged under 16.

Mohammed Ashen: two counts each of rape and indecent assault.

Imran Akhtar: four counts of indecent assault and one each of supplying a Class B drug, rape of a girl aged under 16, aiding and abetting rape of a girl aged under 16, sexual touching of a girl aged 13 or over, and procuring a female under 21 for unlawful sexual intercourse. 

Tanweer Ali: two counts each of rape and indecent assault, plus one of false imprisonment.

Aftab Hussain: three counts of rape; two of indecent assault of a girl aged under 16; one of detaining a child to keep her from a person having lawful control.

Ajmal Rafiq: indecent assault of a girl aged under 16 and false imprisonment.

Nabeel Kurshid and Ilqak Yousef are both accused of two rapes and one indecent assault.

Salah Ahmed El-Hakam and Waseem Khaliq each face one count of rape.

Masaeud Malik and Sharaz Hussain each face one count of indecent assault of a girl aged under 16.

The Daily Mail has some photographs

Abid Saddiq, 36, used a hat and scarf to cover his face and refused to answer questions as he arrived for his first court appearance. Sharp eyed readers will recognise who is asking the questions.