April 2010

TWO men have been jailed for abducting a schoolgirl

They took the girl from outside her home in Oldham and she was later found walking home at 3am. She refused to tell police what had happened to her.

Shahzad Masood, 33, of Melford Avenue, New Moston, and Mohammed Suleman, 39, of Derby Court’ Werneth, pleaded guilty to abduction.

They were jailed for a year and given indefinite Asbos at Manchester Crown Court.

They claimed they believed the girl was 16. But Det Chief Insp Mary Doyle, from Oldham CID, said: “There is little doubt that these men were aware that this child was under 16.

“The difficulty we have in cases like this is that children who are targeted by these men are generally vulnerable and will often go with the offenders willingly, not recognising the potential risk to their safety.

“I hope this prosecution will act as a warning to any men who think it is acceptable to take children like this.

“This behaviour will not be tolerated and we will take all possible action to make sure the people responsible are brought to justice.”

December 2006

Oldham at centre of child sex storm

MORE than 20 under-age girls are alleged to have been groomed and abused by predatory paedophiles operating in Oldham.

Detectives – who have now set up a permanent unit with Oldham Council to deal with growing concerns about paedophilia in the borough – claimed this week that children as young as 12 years of age have been targeted.

Five men have already been charged with serious offences against minors and have appeared, or are due to appear, before the courts. It is understood that a “substantial” number more have been interviewed and arrested.

Investigations began after four girls came forward with criminal allegations in the summer. The police and council have been working together since, alongside other agencies involved in child welfare.

Their investigations have provided shocking results, with more than 20 girls from vulnerable backgrounds – some of whom are in council care – understood to have come forward.

The girls are said to be aged between 12 and 17 years and from mixed cultural backgrounds.

The men arrested so far, who the Advertiser has been told are not operating as part of a ‘sex ring’, have also been described as being from different racial backgrounds. Most are said to be local residents.

Shahzad Masood (date of birth 02/02/74) of Melford Avenue in New Moston and Suleman Mohammed (01/02/74) of Derby Court in Werneth were both charged with section 2 abduction on 23 August 2006. Sarwar Ali (11/3/75) of Chester Street, Werneth was charged with rape on 2 November 2006. All three men were bailed by Oldham Magistrates Court.

Kadir Hussain (28/6/83) of Princess Street, Ashton-under-Lyne was charged with rape on 12 November 2006. Shakil Chowdhury (1/1/67) of Attock Close, Chadderton was charged with rape on 2 November 2006. Both men were remanded into custody

Click this link for July 2014 – Men wanted over sex offences could be in Coventry

Ruth Baldwin, executive director for young people and families, said: “Unless you scratch below the surface you do not realise the enormity of the problem. We are not talking about teenage relationships. These are men in their 20s, 30s and beyond.”

She said that a small project had looked at the issue of sexual exploitation of young girls in 2004 and, as a result, one or two girls had come forward with allegations. However, the investigation was stepped up after another group of girls came forward in 2005 with claims of offences against them and more spoke up in the summer of this year.

Ruth Baldwin said: “Each time there has been activity in these areas by ourselves the problem appears to go away. As we get better we realise how big the issue is.”

Now the council, police, Primary Care Trust and charity Barnardo’s have established a team, based in Chadderton, to target child sex offenders.

The new unit has three permanently deployed officers, with a view to getting one more, as well as a social worker, support staff and a part-time project manager.

One big problem, it is claimed, is that many girls do not see themselves as victims and believe the men are their boyfriends.

Head of Oldham Police, Chief Supt Caroline Ball, said: “Unfortunately, the affection these victims can often mistakenly feel can mean they feel a loyalty to protect them.

“We need to make these girls aware that this is not the case, that they need to stand up and show that they do not deserve to be treated with so little respect.”

The council has declined to confirm the number of children in council care who have alleged that they have been preyed upon, but said it was confident current safeguards were adequate.

Janet Donaldson, chairman of Oldham’s Local Safeguarding Board, said: “We are not doing anything in terms of changing practices. We already have in place everything we need to have in place. We have a high standard of care.

“We can’t lock people in, but where children have been identified as being ‘high risk’ we have taken action.”

She added that had included moving children to secure accommodation or out of the borough.

Teachers at all the borough’s high schools have also been briefed to look out for signs that might mean a young person is in danger.