3 Pakistani-origin men convicted of child rape in UK

London, Nov 13 (PTI) Three Pakistani-origin men have been convicted of child rape dating back to the 2000s in northern England after officers investigated a report made by the girl as an adult.

     Mudasar Hussain, 37, Ghazanfar Hussain, 42, and Kamir Ifzal Khan, 37, were convicted at Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday as part of Operation Stovewood – a major investigation and prosecution cases into child sexual abuse and exploitation which took place in South Yorkshire between 1997 and 2013.

     The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) issued a public appeal for information on the whereabouts of two of the men, Mudasar and Kamir, believed to have absconded to Pakistan ahead of their trial and convicted in abesentia.

     Mudasar’s brother Ghazanfar, convicted of raping the girl, has been remanded in custody ahead of a sentencing hearing.

     “Mudasar Hussain and Kamir Khan have attempted to avoid justice but my officers are determined to find the men, to ensure that both of them serve the sentences handed down to them in due course," said Philip Marshall, NCA’s Head of Operation Stovewood.

     “Officers have been working with partners, pursuing numerous lines of enquiry in the UK and overseas, to locate Mudasar Hussain and Kamir Khan. I am now appealing for anyone with information that could help our enquiries, no matter how insignificant that information may appear, to report it," he said.

     While Mudasar was found guilty of 12 counts of rape, Kamir was found guilty of two counts of rape and one count of trafficking for sexual exploitation.

     The court heard that the duo separately targeted the victim, aged 13 at the time, and groomed, manipulated and exploited her, plying her with cannabis and alcohol in order to take sexual advantage of her.

     While Ghazanfar did not groom and manipulate the victim in the same way, he too took advantage of her and was convicted of one count of rape.

     “Mudasar Hussain and Kamir Khan separately groomed a young and vulnerable girl with alcohol, drugs and gifts. They raped her multiple times between 2008 and 2010 at various locations around Rotherham," said Melissa Garner, Specialist Prosecutor for the CPS.

     “Ghazanfar Hussain was quick to take advantage of the vulnerable victim when the opportunity presented itself. Their abuse has caused the victim serious and lifelong harm.

     "These defendants have now been convicted of their horrific and appalling crimes. I want to recognise the victim for her strength throughout this case. Her determination in seeing this case through has been crucial in bringing these offenders to justice," she said.

     The conviction of the three men follows the NCA’s Operation Stovewood contacting the victim after identifying she may have been sexually abused as a child. The woman, now in her 30s, confirmed that between 2008 and 2010 she was groomed and sexually abused first by Mudasar, then separately by Ghazanfar and Kamir Khan.

     The court heard that she first met Mudasar – who she knew as “Muddy” – while visiting an address in Rotherham. She was abused by Mudasar “countless times” over the course of around 18 months, at a house, in local public spaces and in his car.

     The victim also told officers that Mudasar used violence to coerce her, including threatening her with a baseball bat. He then left the UK for a period, during which time the girl met his brother Ghazanfar while out with a friend one evening.

     The girl did not know that Ghazanfar, nicknamed “Gucci”, was Mudasar's brother.

     According to officers, the girl and some friends later began frequenting a local takeaway where Kamir “quickly and calculatedly groomed the girl”.

     The NCA said that from the victim’s descriptions of the men, their vehicles and details of the offence locations, Operation Stovewood investigators were able to identify corroborating evidence, such as witness statements, phone records and documentation linking the men to the girl, the vehicles and the locations of offences.

     Officers arrested the men and subsequently charged them in March 2025.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)