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Telegraph
05-03-2025
- Telegraph
Rotherham rape gang branded schoolgirls ‘fresh meat'
A Rotherham grooming gang raped two girls several times a week for multiple months and referred to them as 'fresh meat'. Romulad Stefan Houphouet, 37, was jailed for 20 years and Absolom Sigiyo, 41, was jailed for 18 years and six months after both were found guilty of a number of offences including rape. Sheffield Crown Court was told during a five-week trial how two teenage girls were sexually assaulted in the South Yorkshire town more than a decade ago by a gang of men. Judge Sarah Wright told Ivorian national Houphouet, from Sheffield, and Sigiyo, a Zimbabwean national, from Rotherham, they inflicted 'severe psychological harm' to the girls who were suffering to this day. 'Bravery beyond measure' The judge explained how both the girls were living in a children's home at the time of the offending, that they distrusted authority and were frequently reported missing. She said they 'did not come from a stable or protective background and so were extremely vulnerable to those who set out to exploit them'. The judge said that Houphoet and Sigiyo used 'cynical and manipulative behaviour', including supplying alcohol and cigarettes, to groom the two victims in order to 'achieve a particular sexual objective'. Judge Wright told the victims, who watched the sentencing hearing on a video link, they had shown 'bravery beyond measure in speaking about such intimate and traumatic experiences and exposing themselves to intrusion and questioning'. She said the men referring to the girls as 'fresh meat' was 'particularly degrading'. The judge told Houphouet: 'On one occasion you forcibly and very violently raped (one of the teenagers) after she had had a sexual encounter with another man. 'You clearly regarded her as your property to do with as you liked.' Prosecutors told the trial that Houphouet that befriended the two girls in Rotherham town centre one evening more than 10 years ago and raped one of them in an alleyway that night. Houphouet took both girls a short distance to a house in the town and introduced them to Sigiyo 'and other males who were undoubtedly present'. Long-term damage Both the victims described their continuing mental health problems in impact statements read to the court. Each said they have had to leave the Rotherham area because of the trauma. One woman said: 'I was frightened, scared and alone. I carried these horrible memories alone through my childhood and teenage years. 'Looking back, I recall feeling very sad all the time and overwhelmed with guilt. I did not think anyone would believe me.' The woman said she was still 'petrified' that those who abused her would harm her and described how she had to give up a job because of anxiety. She said she still has not been able to tell her mother what happened as it would be 'too much for her to take'. The other woman said in her statement: 'For years I went through blaming myself for what happened, thinking it was my fault for being exploited, abused and being treated by them as 'just pieces of meat'.' She said: 'I will never be able to forget what happened to me and I worry for the future.' The convictions are the latest following the National Crime Agency's (NCA) investigation into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013, which is called Operation Stovewood. It was set up in the wake of the landmark Jay Report which found in 2014 that at least 1,400 girls were abused by gangs of men of mainly Pakistani heritage in Rotherham. The NCA says Stovewood is the single largest law enforcement operation of its kind undertaken in the UK, and has identified more than 1,100 children involved in the exploitation between 1997 and 2013 – almost all girls. A third man, Jacek Brzozowski, 35, was cleared of the one charge he was facing in the trial, of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, but had admitted a charge of penetrative sexual activity with a child earlier this year. Brzozowski, from Rotherham, will be sentenced on April 14.
BBC News
05-03-2025
- BBC News
Operation Stovewood: Pair jailed for grooming and raping teenagers in Rotherham
Two men who groomed and raped girls described as "vulnerable in the extreme" in Rotherham have been Stefan Houphouet and Absalom Sigiyo were found guilty at Sheffield Crown Court of a number of sexual offences committed in 2011 and five-week trial heard how two 15-year-olds who lived at a children's home were sexually assaulted several times a week by a gang of men who called them "fresh meat".On Wednesday, Houphouet, 37, an Ivorian national of Burngreave, Sheffield, was jailed for 20 years and Sigiyo, 41, a Zimbabwean national of Catcliffe in Rotherham, for 18-and-a-half years. 'Countless' rapes Judge Sarah Wright told the men they had inflicted "severe psychological harm" on the girls, who were still suffering to this complainants showed "bravery beyond measure" by reporting the abuse and speaking in court during the trial, she National Crime Agency (NCA) said the victims had been raped "countless" times, with one victim reporting being raped two to three times a week by Sigiyo. 'Act of revenge' The NCA said Houphouet first encountered the girls in 2011, then aged 24, when he took one of them into an alley in Rotherham town centre and raped raped her again in an "act of revenge" after he found his lodger, Jacek Brzozowski, having sex with her. She was also raped by 35, a Polish national of Rawmarsh in Rotherham, will be sentenced in April after admitting sexual activity with a Blain, senior investigating officer, said "words can barely describe" the bravery of the two women in reporting their experiences."It cannot have been easy for them to have relived the terrible abuse they suffered," she added."They did so with strength, courage and utmost dignity."Houphouet was convicted on Monday of four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, both relating to the same was convicted of two counts of rape, penetrative sexual activity with a child, attempted rape, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and was also found guilty of intimidating one of the victims and trying to stop her from supporting the investigation, which launched in convictions are the latest in the NCA's Operation Stovewood, which investigates child sexual sexploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Yahoo
Pair found guilty of 'countless' rapes of girls
Two men have been found guilty of multiple sexual offences after a court heard how two teenagers were regularly raped over a period of months in Rotherham. The girls were sexually assaulted several times a week over six months by a gang of men who referred to the teenagers as "fresh meat", Sheffield Crown Court heard during a five-week trial. Romulad Stefan Houphouet, who is now 37, and Absalom Sigiyo, now 41, were found guilty of a number of offences including rape. Houphouet, of Burngreave in Sheffield, and Sigiyo, of Catcliffe, in Rotherham, would be sentenced on Wednesday, Judge Sarah Wright said as she remanded both men in custody. A third defendant, Jacek Brzozowski, now 35, was cleared of the one charge he was facing in the trial, of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. However, Brzozowski, of Rawmarsh, Rotherham, admitted a charge of penetrative sexual activity with a child earlier this year. He was bailed and will be sentenced on 14 April. The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the charges related to offences committed in 2011 and 2012, when the two victims were residents in a children's home. The victims described living "chaotic lives" they wanted to escape, and Houphouet and Sigiyo took advantage of their vulnerability, giving them cigarettes and alcohol before demanding sex in return, the NCA said. The agency said the victims had been raped "countless" times, with one victim reporting being raped two to three times a week by Sigiyo, and once waking up to find him attempting to rape her. The other victim told investigators Houphouet was possessive and once raped her in an act of revenge after finding Brzozowski - his lodger - having sex with her at one of their parties. While under investigation for rape, Sigiyo approached one of the women on the street and pressured her to tell police he was innocent, the NCA said. Instead, she reported the incident, and he was further charged and found guilty of intimidation. Following the trial, Senior Investigating Officer Kath Blain said: "This is one of the most harrowing cases I have investigated. The victims have shown extraordinary bravery in reporting their abuse." "What happened to them can never be undone, but I hope the verdicts will at least give them a sense that their abusers have been held to account and justice has been done." Martin McRobb, specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "The victims in this case are now adults, but they have had to live with the trauma caused by the vile and serious sexual offences committed against them in their youth." The convictions are the latest as part of the NCA's investigation, known as Operation Stovewood, into child sexual sexploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds or catch up with the latest episode of Look North. HM Courts & Tribunals Service
BBC News
03-03-2025
- BBC News
Two men found guilty of raping teenage girls in Rotherham
Two men have been found guilty of multiple sexual offences after a court heard how two teenagers were regularly raped over a period of months in girls were sexually assaulted several times a week over six months by a gang of men who referred to the teenagers as "fresh meat", Sheffield Crown Court heard during a five-week Stefan Houphouet, who is now 37, and Absalom Sigiyo, now 41, were found guilty of a number of offences including of Burngreave in Sheffield, and Sigiyo, of Catcliffe, in Rotherham, would be sentenced on Wednesday, Judge Sarah Wright said as she remanded both men in custody. A third defendant, Jacek Brzozowski, now 35, was cleared of the one charge he was facing in the trial, of inciting a child to engage in sexual Brzozowski, of Rawmarsh, Rotherham, admitted a charge of penetrative sexual activity with a child earlier this was bailed and will be sentenced on 14 April. 'Chaotic lives' The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the charges related to offences committed in 2011 and 2012, when the two victims were residents in a children's victims described living "chaotic lives" they wanted to escape, and Houphouet and Sigiyo took advantage of their vulnerability, giving them cigarettes and alcohol before demanding sex in return, the NCA agency said the victims had been raped "countless" times, with one victim reporting being raped two to three times a week by Sigiyo, and once waking up to find him attempting to rape other victim told investigators Houphouet was possessive and once raped her in an act of revenge after finding Brzozowski - his lodger - having sex with her at one of their under investigation for rape, Sigiyo approached one of the women on the street and pressured her to tell police he was innocent, the NCA she reported the incident, and he was further charged and found guilty of intimidation. Following the trial, Senior Investigating Officer Kath Blain said: "This is one of the most harrowing cases I have investigated. The victims have shown extraordinary bravery in reporting their abuse.""What happened to them can never be undone, but I hope the verdicts will at least give them a sense that their abusers have been held to account and justice has been done."Martin McRobb, specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "The victims in this case are now adults, but they have had to live with the trauma caused by the vile and serious sexual offences committed against them in their youth."The convictions are the latest as part of the NCA's investigation, known as Operation Stovewood, into child sexual sexploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds or catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Sky News
03-03-2025
- Sky News
Men convicted of regularly raping teenage girls in Rotherham called them 'fresh meat'
Two men have been convicted of a series of sexual offences against two teenage girls, who were described by the gang targeting them as "fresh meat". Sheffield Crown Court was told the girls were sexually assaulted several times a week over a period of six months in the South Yorkshire town of Rotherham more than 10 years ago. The prosecution described the teenagers as "powerless to prevent the actions of older and more mature individuals determined to exploit them for sexual purposes". On Monday, Romulad Stefan Houphouet, 37, and Absolom Sigiyo, 41, were found guilty of a number of offences including rape. A third defendant, Jacek Brzozowski, 35, was cleared of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity but admitted penetrative sexual activity with a child. During a five-week trial, prosecutor Gordon Stables told a jury both the complainants were living in a children's home when they were befriended by the defendants "and also other associates" in Rotherham town centre more than a decade ago. Mr Stables said the men knew their victims were under the age of consent and "gained the girls' trust and confidence by plying them with alcohol and giving them cigarettes at house parties, and offering them flirtatious attention". He said: "Both girls became conditioned to having regular sexual intercourse... the clear pre-meditated intention was to ensure that the girls entered into and remained in a state of compliance. "Psychologically, the girls were made to feel that sexual activity was how they repaid the debt they owed the defendants for the provision of alcohol and tobacco. "Once the males were sexually satisfied, however, the girls were treated as having served their purpose - at least temporarily - and they were often then ignored and expected to make their own way home." "In this way, [the girls] were sexually groomed within an environment of dependency," he said, adding that the men referred to them as "fresh meat". Ivorian national Houphouet, of Burngreave in Sheffield, and Sigiyo, a Zimbabwean national of Catcliffe in Rotherham, will be sentenced on Wednesday. Polish national Brzozowski, of Rawmarsh in Rotherham, was bailed and is being sentenced on 14 April. Senior investigating officer Kath Blain said: "This is one of the most harrowing cases I have investigated. Sigiyo and Houphouet lured two vulnerable girls to parties where they kept the children intoxicated so they could abuse them in the worst ways. "Brzozwski contributed to their suffering, including by having sex with one of the girls who he knew was a child and vulnerable. The victims have shown extraordinary bravery in reporting their abuse." The convictions are the latest following the National Crime Agency's (NCA) investigation, called Operation Stovewood, which has identified more than 1,100 victims of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013. It was established after the landmark Jay Report, which found that hundreds of girls had been abused by gangs of men of mainly Pakistani heritage in the town. Martin McRobb, specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "The victims in this case are now adults, but they have had to live with the trauma caused by the vile and serious sexual offences committed against them in their youth. "We know it can be difficult to talk about such abuse, and I would like to extend my thanks to the victims for the courage and fortitude they showed in coming forward and giving evidence against these men."
