I've done lots of stories on the unbelievable child sex abuse in Rotherham, but this is the first comprehensive report on Rochdale
SICK GROOMING GANG
What was the Rochdale child sex abuse ring, who were the grooming gang and how many victims were there?
By Lauren Fruen
THE widespread grooming and sexual assault of girls in Rochdale was a case that shocked the nation.
Here Sun Online looks at how it was ignored by authorities for years until 2012 when a number of men were caged for a string of offences.
Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of a Rochdale child sex grooming gang, cited human rights laws as he launched an appeal against deportation from Britain
PA:PRESS ASSOCIATION
What was the Rochdale child sex abuse ring?
The exposure of the grooming, sexual assault and trafficking of young girls in Rochdale was made public in 2012.
The Guardian reports how it resulted in the conviction of nine men for offences including rape on girls as young as 13 between 2005 and 2008.
Sexual health worker Sara Rowbotham spent years trying to get police, the council and social workers to take the grooming seriously.
When the probe was eventually resumed and the gang was jailed police, Crown prosecutors and Rochdale Council were forced to apologise for their failings.
Apoligise, they should have been flogged!
The men – aged between 24 and 59- preyed on teen girls plying with them booze and drugs in the Heywood area of Rochdale.
It eventually resulted in the conviction of nine men for serious sexual offences, including rape and human trafficking, inflicted on girls as young as 13 between 2005 and 2008.
The Rochdale Safeguarding Children Board highlighted failures by 17 agencies who were meant to protect the children.
Who were the grooming gang?
Nine men were jailed for their part in the child sexual exploitation ring, the BBC reported in 2012.
Judge Gerald Clifton said at the time that the men – eight of Pakistani origin and one from Afghanistan – treated the girls “as though they were worthless and beyond respect”.
Hello! Have you heard of Islam?
Shabir Ahmed, the ringleader of a group of men who preyed on girls, was jailed for 22 years after being convicted of a string of offences including rape in 2012.
Four members of the grooming gang – including ringleader Ahmed – now face deportation to Pakistan.
The other three are Adil Khan, Qari Abdul Rauf and Abdul Aziz.
Khan, Rauf and Aziz were convicted of conspiracy and trafficking for sexual exploitation charges.
In December 2013 a further five men were jailed after an investigation into the sexual abuse of a girl was reopened following the exposure of police failings.
The victim told police in 2008 Freddie Kendakumana raped her but he was not charged until October 2012.
In 2015 three men were sentenced for a string of child sexual offences that took place in Rochdale.
Two girls aged 13 and 15 and a 13-year-old boy were groomed by the three men between September and October 2014 after repeatedly going missing from care.
How many victims were there?
Police identified and interviewed 47 young girls who were potential victims of the gang in 2012.
It led to police forces across the country changing the way that they deal with missing people.
The Times first revealed the issue of Asian sex gangs targeting girls after an investigation in Rotherham.
It led to an inquiry which found that at least 1,400 children had been exploited in that town.
A report by the Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Children Board painted a picture of girls as young as 10 being targeted for sexual abuse.
Twelve council workers came under investigation for failures in relation to the case, and both the police and Crown Prosecution Service were forced to apologise for missing a chance to stop the gang in 2008.
What is Three Girls?
A BBC drama called Three Girls will focus on the grooming of young women in the area.
Three hour long episodes will follow the stories of three of the victims.
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