A sick grooming gang of 20 men have been jailed for a total of 219 years after being convicted of raping and abusing vulnerable girls as young as 12.
The group, who had not previously been named due to legal reasons, can now be identified after the judge lifted reporting restrictions.
Consisting of 20 men, the abhorrent group sexually abused and exploited four girls aged between 12 and 16 in Calderdale, West Yorkshire between 2001 and 2010.
Allegations were first made in 2016, causing the police to launch what was described as “extremely complex and sensitive investigations into a number of separate allegations.”
An initial investigation saw officers investigate allegations made by two girls who said they were the victims of sexual abuse and exploitation between 2006 and 2009 when they were as young as 13.
A third girl came forward later that year to allege that she had been abused at the age of 13 by the gang, causing the police to launch a second probe.
Two years later, a third investigation was launched after another victim told how she had been abused at the age of 12 between 2001 and 2002.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Claire Smith of Calderdale District Police, said: “Firstly, I want to acknowledge the sheer courage of the victims and survivors in each of these investigations; not only for having the bravery to come forward initially but also for enduring the criminal justice system and the weight of criminal trials and reporting restrictions in place.
“Due to legal restrictions, it has not been possible to publicise these outcomes until now.
“I welcome the sentences handed to these offenders for the abhorrent abuse these young girls were subjected to, which was heard by the jurors in each trial over the last few years.
“Tackling child sexual exploitation and abuse is a top priority for West Yorkshire Police and our partners.
“This is an abhorrent crime which has a lifelong impact on victims and survivors.
“I hope highlighting the prosecution of these offenders will serve as a reminder that we will continue to do all we can to put perpetrators behind bars and protect victims and survivors.
He added that it is never to late for victims of sexual abuse to come forward.
He said: “I encourage anyone who was abused as a child to speak to someone and seek support.
“Reports of non-recent abuse are handled by officers who are specially trained in supporting victims and survivors and dealing with such sensitive cases.”
The sentences, which ranged in length from 7-16 years, were handed out after six separate trials held between 2021 and 2024.
Two defendants, Nadeem Adalat, 39 and Vaseem Adalat, 38 who went on trial in January 2022, appealed their convictions of 14 and 12 years respectively.
Both had two years added on to their sentence following the appeal.
Five men, all from Halifax, were convicted after the first trial, which started in October 2021 at Bradford Crown Court.
They were:
Shahzad Nowaz, 45, who was found guilty of rape and making threats to kill and sentenced to a total of 11 years.
-Nadeem Nassir, 44, who was found guilty of rape and making threats to kill and sentenced to a total of 11 years.Sajid Adalat, 48, who was found guilty of rape and sentenced to a total of seven years.
Sohail Zaffer, 41, who was pled guilty to rape and supply of a class C drug and sentenced to a total of 42 months.
Shazad Nazir, 49, who was found guilty of rape and sentenced to a total of 11 years.
At a second trial, which started in January 2022, three other men – also from Halifax – were jailed for their roles.
They were:
Nadeem Adalat, 39, who was found guilty of rape and sentenced to 14 years, which was increased to a total of 16 years after appeal.
Asad Mahmood, 38, who was found guilty of rape and sentenced to a total of 13 years.
Mohammed Rizwan Iqbal, 39, who was found guilty of rape and sentenced to a total of nine years.
Vaseem Adalat, 38, who was found guilty of rape and sentenced to 12 years, which was increased to a total of 14 years and 6 months after an appeal.
In 2016, a separate investigation was launched by police after reports of the sexual abuse of a vulnerable young girl between 2002 and 2006, starting when she was 13.
After a trial in August 2022 at Bradford Crown Court , Amir Shaban, 48, of Halifax, was found guilty of rape and jailed for 10 years.
A second trial into the same victim started in October 2022 at Bradford Crown Court and resulted in the conviction of six other men, all from Halifax.
They were:
Malik Quadeer, 67, who was found guilty of five counts of rape and jailed for 22 years.
Mohammed Ziarab, 55, who was found guilty of rape and sentenced to 10 years.
Imran Raja Yasin, 45, who was found guilty of rape and jailed for 10 years.
Kamran Amin, 48, who was found guilty of rape and sentenced to 10 years.
Mohammed Akhtar, 54, who was found guilty of rape and died in prison after being sentenced to 11 years.
Saquab Hussain, 46, who was found guilty of rape and sentenced to seven years and six months.
A third trial into the same victim began in January 2024 at Bradford Crown Court, which resulted in the convictions of three more men.
They were:
Haroon Sadiq, 40, of Halifax, who was found guilty of two counts of rape and sentenced to 10 years.
Shafiq Ali Rafiq, 44, of Dewsbury, who was found guilty of two counts of rape, sentenced to 12 years.
Sarfraz Rabnawaz, 39, of Bradford, who was found guilty of two counts of rape, sentenced to nine years.
In 2018, an investigation was launched into the sexual abuse of a fourth girl – aged between 12 and 13 – in the Calderdale area between 2001 and 2002.
Craig Mitchell, 55, of Halifax, was found guilty of rape at Bradford Crown Court and jailed for to 12 years.
