Jury told not to speculate on absence of Rochdale grooming trial defendant
The prosecution allege that the complainants were groomed from the age of 13 to have sex with the men "whenever and wherever they wanted", between 2001 and 2006.
The defendants all deny various sexual offence, including rape and indecent assault.
One of the accused, Kasir Bashir, 50, has not attended the trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.
It is alleged the former stallholder on Rochdale Market raped one of the complainants, Girl B, on multiple occasions at a house in Chadderton, Oldham, along with several others.
Bashir, of Napier Street East, Oldham, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and two counts of indecency with a child.
In his closing speech to the jury on Monday 12 May, his barrister Shahnawaz Khan said it was his client's case that Bashir had consensual sex with Girl B on a sole occasion but was not involved with any sexual activity at the address in Chadderton.
Mr Khan reminded the jury of the 'very comprehensive' directions previously given to them by Judge Jonathan Seely.
Mr Khan said: 'You are not to speculate why Mr Bashir is not here.
'His absence does not count against him.
'He is still entitled to a fair trial. You must consider the case on the evidence and on the evidence alone.'
The other defendants on trial are Mohammed Zahid, 64, of Station Road, Crumpsall, Manchester; Naheem Akram, 48, of Manley, Road, Rochdale; Mohammed Shahzad, 44, of Beswicke Royds Street, Rochdale; Nisar Hussain, 41, of Newfield Close, Rochdale; Roheez Khan, 39, of Athole Street, Rochdale; and Mushtaq Ahmed, 67, of Corona Avenue, Oldham.
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