Huddersfield child sex offenders jailed for 41 years

SEX offenders, accused of raping a teenaged girl, have been jailed for a combined 41 years in the latest convictions, bringing an end to a major child sexual exploitation investigation, West Yorkshire police said on Friday (16).

Banaras Hussain (44), Talish Ahmed (41) and Mohammed Akram ( 44) were all sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday (15) after being found guilty of sexual offences committed against a young teenage girl in the mid 1990’s.

The men were all sentenced after being convicted as part of West Yorkshire Police’s long running Operation Tendersea enquiry, which was established to investigate the non-recent sexual abuse of young girls.

Hussain of Church Street, Huddersfield, was sentenced to 18 years for two offences of rape against a female aged under 16 while Ahmed of Rashcliffe Hill Road, Huddersfield, was sentenced to 10 years, the police said.

Akram of Moorbottom Road, Huddersfield, was sentenced to 13 years for two offences of rape and an offence of indecent assault.

Leeds Crown Court heard that the victim had first been targeted when she had been spotted on her paper rounds wearing school uniform at the age of just 12 years old.

The vulnerable teenager was abused between the ages of 13 and 15 before finally managing to break away from the men.

Ian Thornes, of the Kirklees' Safeguarding Unit, said: “These strong sentences reflect the gravity of these men’s crimes against a young, innocent girl who they abused in the most appalling fashion."

“I hope these convictions again demonstrate to victims that we will do all we possibly can to help you seek justice no matter when the crimes were committed.  We do put victim’s needs at the heart of every investigation and thoroughly investigate all reports made to us.”