Two Doncaster men ‘groomed and raped’ seven teenage girls they met on Snapchat, court hears

From the Yorkshire Examiner and AOL today

Two men from Doncaster groomed, sexually abused and raped seven girls by offering them money, drugs, alcohol and e-cigarettes via Snapchat, a court has heard yesterday (Monday, May 11).

Grooming continues, modern methods now being used.

Opening arguments from the prosecution at Sheffield Crown Court claimed Bawan Harwe and Sharam Muhamadi used Snapchat to contact the girls, ranging from 12 to 16, and invite them back to a property on Hexthorpe Road in Doncaster. The men then raped and sexually abused the girls, the court was told.

Outlining the case against the two men, prosecutor Claire Holmes said the alleged offences had taken place between June and August 2024.

She said the seven girls – one aged 12, five aged 14 and one aged 15 – met with Harwe after he communicated with some of them over Snapchat.

She told the court Harwe, who was known by the alleged victims as Caro, then “made available” some of them to Muhamadi, who the girls knew as Jack.

Holmes said all seven girls were given various quantities of money and if they refused to do what the man wanted they would be “intimidated in various ways”.

Holmes said a few months later Harwe raped two 14-year-old girls at his home after giving them alcohol.

She said one of the girls saw him raping the other girl, who had passed out from drinking, and had forced him off her.

However, he would not let them leave the property until he had sex with the first girl.

Holmes told the jury: “If someone only submits because it is the only way out, that is not consent freely given.”

The pair are on trial for 21 charges relating to sexual abuse, grooming and false imprisonment. They were charged with 22 offences, but Harwe, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of rape. He has entered no pleas to 16 other charges, while Muhamadi, 20, submitted not guilty pleas to five charges.

The various alleged grooming and rape incidents took place between July 29, 2024, and October 19, 2024. The court heard how Harwe would message the girls, who cannot be named for legal reasons, on Snapchat, offering them money for shopping, drugs, alcohol and free e-cigarettes as he groomed them into having sex with him and Muhamadi.

The prosecution claimed the men were aware of the girls’ ages and plied them with drugs and alcohol so they could rape them. The men deny this and claim the girls brought their drugs and alcohol to the property themselves.

Holmes told the jury: “The accounts given by all seven girls show a clear pattern of behaviour. Individually and collectively, they produce a compelling case, so that you can be sure of guilt on each count.”

The trial continues.