Four men and two women convicted over child sex grooming ring

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has 55 ongoing investigations into allegations about how South Yorkshire Police dealt with child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.

In a statement to ITV News, the IPCC said:

One of the ringleaders of a child sex grooming ring appeared from his bed at home via video link as he was found guilty of a range of offences including rape and indecent assault of teenage girls.

Arshid Hussain, 40, who claims to be paraplegic, appeared to be asleep as the guilty verdict was read out following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

His brother Basharat Hussain was surrounded by prison officers in the dock at the court and was remanded into custody along with their uncle Qurban Ali, Karen MacGregor and Shelley Davies.

The five along with, Bannaras Hussain, who admitted 10 charges including rape and indecent assault prior to the trial, will be sentenced on Friday.

A child sex grooming ring in Rotherham led by three brothers preyed on girls as young as 11.

Arshid Hussain and his brothers Basharat Hussain and Bannaras Hussain were ringleaders of the gang, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

They were helped by their uncle Qurban Ali and two women Karen MacGregor and Shelley Davies.

The six will be sentenced on Friday for a range of offences involving the sexual exploitation of teenage girls in the South Yorkshire town.

ITV News Correspondent Damon Green reports:

Victims in the Rotherham child sexual exploitation case suffered "unthinkable physical and psychological" trauma, Peter Mann from the Crown Prosecution Service said following the verdicts.

He said: "These defendants in their differing ways targeted these teenage girls because they were vulnerable and then facilitated their systematic sexual abuse. The abusers then groomed and sexualised their victims, often subjecting them to acts of a degrading and violent nature.

"Some of the violence was extreme and protracted."

Mr Mann added: "Such depravity has no place in our society."

He also said Arshid Hussain played a key role in the sex ring and that his behaviour was "domineering" and "brutal".

Some of the 15 women who were victims of a child sex grooming ring in Rotherham were in court to see their abusers convicted today.

Three men - brothers Arshid and Basharat Hussain and Qurban Ali - and two women - Karen MacGregor and Shelley Davies - were found guilty at Sheffield Crown Court of a range of offences involving the sexual exploitation of teenage girls in the South Yorkshire town.

A fourth man - Bannaras Hussain - had admitted 10 charges including rape, indecent assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm at the beginning of the trial.

During the trial, a jury of six men and six women had heard women describe how they were targeted in their young teens and subjected to brutal treatment as they were passed around men who raped and beat them.

Some described how they were trafficked, locked up, physically assaulted and threatened with death.

The Rotherham child sex exploitation verdicts are a "crucial milestone" for the victims of abuse, police have said.

Senior investigating officer Martin Tate said he was pleased those responsible had been held to account for the "systematic and organised sexual abuse of young girls".

Speaking outside Sheffield Crown Court, he said: "The verdict today marks a crucial milestone for those victims and survivors who endured years of violence and horrific sexual abuse at the hands of these vile individuals.

"I can't begin to put into words the trauma that these women experienced at such a young age."

Brothers Arshid and Basharat Hussain were found guilty of multiple rapes and indecent assaults of teenage girls as part of a child sex grooming gang in Rotherham following a trial.

A third brother, Bannaras Hussain, 36, admitted 10 charges including rape, indecent assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm at the beginning of the trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

Their uncle Qurban Ali, 53, was cleared of all the charges he faced except one of conspiracy to rape.

Two women - Karen MacGregor, 58, and Shelley Davies, 40 - were found guilty of conspiracy to procure prostitutes and false imprisonment following the trial.

Meanwhile brothers Majid Bostan, 37 and Sajid Bostan, 38, were cleared of all charges following the trial.