20 men jailed after investigations into historic abuse of girls in Calderdale

The outcomes of three investigations into grooming in Calerardale can be reported after restrictions were lifted. Credit: West Yorkshire Police

Twenty men have been given prison sentences totalling more than 200 years after an investigation into the historic rape and abuse of four girls.

West Yorkshire Police launched three investigations over the exploitation of girls aged 12 to 16 between 2001 and 2010.

The outcomes of a series of trials can now be reported after court restrictions were lifted.

The first case saw five Halifax men convicted of the rape of two girls, along with other offences, between 2006 and 2009:

  • Shahzad Nowaz, 45, was found guilty of rape and threats to kill and sentenced to 11 years

  • Nadeem Nassir, 44, was found guilty of rape and threats to kill and was sentenced 11 years

  • Sajid Adalat, 48, was found guilty of rape and sentenced to seven years

  • Sohail Zaffer, 41, admitted rape and supplying a class C drug and was sentenced to 42 months

  • Shazad Nazir, 49, was found guilty of rape and sentenced to 11 years.

A second trial saw four other Halifax men convicted of rape:

  • Nadeem Adalat, 39, was jailed for 16 years

  • Asad Mahmood, 38, was jailed for 13 years

  • Mohammed Rizwan Iqbal, 39, was jailed for nine years

  • Vaseem Adalat, 38, was jailed for 14 years and 6 months

Ten more men were convicted following three further trials into reports of sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl between 2002 and 2006:

  • Amir Shaban, 48, of Halifax, was found guilty of rape and jailed for 10 years

  • Malik Quadeer, 67, of Halifax, was found guilty of five counts of rape, and jailed for 22 years

  • Mohammed Ziarab, 55, of Halifax, was found guilty of rape and sentenced to 10 years

  • Imran Raja Yasin, 45, of Halifax, was found guilty of rape and sentenced to 10 years

  • Kamran Amin, 48, of Halifax, was found guilty of rape and sentenced to 10 years

  • Mohammed Akhtar, 54, of Halifax, was found guilty of rape and sentenced to 11 years. He died while serving his sentence

  • Saquab Hussain, 46, of Halifax, was found guilty of rape and sentenced to seven years and six months

  • Haroon Sadiq, 40, of Halifax, was found guilty of two counts of rape and sentenced to 10 years

  • Shafiq Ali Rafiq, 44, of Dewsbury, was found guilty of two counts of rape and sentenced to 12 years

  • Sarfraz Rabnawaz, 39, of Bradford, was found guilty of two counts of rape, sentenced to nine years

A trial into the sexual abuse of a girl aged 12 between 2001 and 2002 saw Craig Mitchell, 55 of Halifax, found guilty of rape and sentenced to 12 years.

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Det Ch Insp Claire Smith, of Calderdale District Police, praised the "sheer courage" of the victims "for having the bravery to come forward [and] enduring the criminal justice system and the weight of criminal trials".

She added: "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."

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