HASHIM HUSSAIN'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN BURY: FILMING TEEN GIRLS AND CHILD SEX OFFENCES

In December 2022, a disturbing case involving Hashim Hussain, a resident of Bury, has come to light, revealing a series of serious criminal activities centered around the exploitation and illegal filming of minors. Hussain was convicted of multiple charges related to the creation and possession of indecent images of children, as well as filming sexual activities involving minors, despite the fact that the girls involved were over the age of consent.

Hussain was found guilty after a comprehensive four-week trial held in May 2021. The court heard how he, along with other men, would frequently meet with a group of teenage girls in Openshaw Park, located in Bury. During these encounters, the girls, who were between 14 and 15 years old at the time, were often provided with alcohol, specifically vodka, by Hussain and his associates. Following these meetings, the group would sometimes move to the home of one of the girls, where further inappropriate activities took place.

The police investigation was triggered when Hussain was arrested in October 2017 on suspicion of driving offences. During the subsequent search of his belongings, authorities seized his mobile phone, which contained incriminating evidence. Among the material recovered was a video depicting a man engaged in sexual activity with a young, intoxicated female, with her breasts exposed. The footage was recorded in a park, and in the video, the girl can be heard asking whether she was being recorded. A voice responds, claiming, “it’s just a torch,” attempting to dismiss her concerns.

Hussain claimed to police that he could not recall recording the video, but further evidence showed a different picture. Another video revealed a young female holding onto a kitchen counter with both hands while an older male engaged in sexual intercourse with her. Multiple other males were present in the footage, gathered around and observing the act. Hussain was identified as the person behind the camera due to a distinctive watch he was wearing, which appeared in the recordings. This identification was crucial in linking him directly to the crimes.

It is important to note that although the teenagers in the videos were over the age of consent, the law strictly prohibits filming sexual activities involving individuals under 18. Hussain’s arrest at Manchester Airport in July 2019 followed his return from Pakistan. When questioned by police, he responded with a simple “no comment” to all inquiries.

During the sentencing hearing, Recorder Jeremy Lasker emphasized the gravity of Hussain’s actions. He stated, “I have to the firm conclusion that although these girls may well have been consenting to what was happening, they were the victims of older men, whether they were aware of it at the time or not. You were playing your part in this abuse by filming.”

Hussain’s appeal against his conviction was recently dismissed by the Court of Appeal in London. His legal representative argued that the law, which defines a child as anyone under 18, was “anomalous” in this context. However, the judges—Lord Justice Holroyde, Mr Justice Spencer, and Mrs Justice Jill—rejected this argument, affirming the law’s intent to protect minors from exploitation and the dangers associated with recorded imagery.

In a related case from May 2021, Hussain’s brother, Muhammad Hussain, was also convicted and sentenced to over six years in a youth offender’s prison for multiple child sex offences. Muhammad, born on July 22, 2000, was found guilty of raping one of the girls twice, in August 2016, and of sexual assaulting another girl in August 2017. He was also convicted of taking an indecent image of a girl in December 2016. Muhammad was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life and was subject to a restraining order protecting the victims.

Both brothers, residents of South Cross Street in Bury, had initially groomed their victims by offering gifts and alcohol in exchange for sexual acts. Their criminal activities spanned over a year, from August 2016 to August 2017, and involved a disturbing pattern of exploitation and abuse. The sentencing underscores the seriousness with which the justice system treats crimes involving minors and the importance of safeguarding vulnerable young people from predatory behavior.