Girl, 10, labelled ‘prostitute' by social services, grooming gang trial hears

Independent

14-02-2025

A teenage grooming gang victim allegedly used as a 'sex slave' by Asian men in Rochdale was labelled a 'prostitute' from the age of 10 by social services, a court heard.
The victim, now in her 30s, who had been in care as a youngster, had read her file held by Rochdale social services, she told Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester.
In it, the local council's department for looking after children claimed the youngster was selling herself for sex.
'It was in my file, when I looked it up,' she told the jury at the trial of eight men accused of grooming her and another teenager.
'I read it. I was picked up by the police for loitering and prostituting from the age of 10.'
The woman, identified only as girl B, said she was repeatedly sexually abused from the age of 13, that 'everybody knew what was going on', and the description of her as a prostitute was 'vile'.
And she denied claims by lawyers defending the accused that she was claiming she was abused to get compensation money.
She said it was not about money, but she wanted Rochdale social services to 'take responsibility'.
'Because they were the ones supposed to care for me and look after me and a lot of bad things happened,' she said.
'I have never been able to lead my life at all. I struggled to enjoy anything, to do anything. Depression, anxiety to the point I didn't want to be here.'
Rossano Scamardella KC, prosecuting, said: 'It was suggested to you, when you were 13 you looked a lot older?'
The witness was given a photo of herself at that age to look at, and said: 'I look like a little kid.'
Girl B said when the abuse began she was living in a children's home and started to hang around Rochdale market, where Mohammed Zahid, then in his 40s, owned a stall.
Each week she was taken to a shop in Rochdale owned by another man – Mushtaq Ahmed.
In the cold, damp basement under the shop, she was repeatedly raped on a dirty bare mattress by both the stall-holder Zahid and shop owner, Ahmed, she claimed.
Mr Scamardella said: 'Did the two of them take turns to do that to you?'
I was closing my eyes and praying for it to be over
Girl B
'Yes,' she replied, 'in the same night. I was closing my eyes and praying for it to be over.'
On other occasions she said Ahmed would drive her and Zahid to a house in Chadderton near Rochdale.
There would be the three of them and other men there, who spoke a language she did not understand, including another man, Kasir Bashir, who would sexually abuse her.
'I would go upstairs and wait in the bedroom,' the witness said.
Mr Scamardella said: 'Did you know what was about to happen? This was when you were 13?'
'Yes,' the witness replied. 'I would get undressed and lie on the bed.'
Mr Scamardella continued: 'What would they do to you?'
'Rape me,' the witness said.
The eight accused, all either taxis drivers or connected to Rochdale market, all deny multiple sexual offences including rape, indecent assault and indecency with a child between 2001 and 2006.
They are: Mohammed Zahid, 64, of Station Road, Crumpsall, Manchester; Naheem Akram, 48, of Manley Road, Rochdale; Mohammed Shazad, 43, of Beswicke Royds Street, Rochdale; Nisar Hussain, 43, of Newfield Close, Rochdale; Roheez Khan, 39, of Athole Street, Rochdale; Arfan Khan, 40, of Grouse Street, Rochdale; Mushtaq Ahmed, 66, of Corona Avenue, Oldham; and Kasir Bashir, 50, of Napier Street East, Oldham.
The trial was adjourned until February 24.