HITENKUMAR SHAH SENTENCED IN RUGBY FOR HORRIFIC 90S SEXUAL ABUSE CASE

In a case that has spanned over two decades, Hitenkumar Shah, a man residing in Rugby, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for the sexual abuse and rape of a young girl during the 1990s. The disturbing case was brought to light after a lengthy investigation and trial, revealing a pattern of heinous acts committed against a child who was approximately seven years old at the time.

Shah, now 32 years old and living in Sissinghurst Close, was found guilty of four counts of rape, two charges of gross indecency, and one count of indecent assault. The verdict was delivered after a five-day trial at Warwick Crown Court, where a jury unanimously convicted him of all seven charges. The severity of his crimes prompted a sentencing hearing at Birmingham Crown Court, where Judge Peter Carr handed down a 17-year prison term.

In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Carr imposed strict conditions, including a lifelong ban on any unsupervised contact with children. Shah was also ordered to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. Despite the gravity of his offenses, the judge decided against an indefinite or life sentence, citing his assessment that Shah did not pose a continuing danger to the public.

The court heard harrowing details of how Shah, under the guise of playing with the young girl, initiated a campaign of sexual abuse during her visits to his family’s home. Prosecutor Andrew Jackson explained that Shah and his parents had arrived in the United Kingdom from Kenya in 1998 and had rented a property in Rugby. The victim’s family would visit the house, often to see another resident, and it was during these visits that Shah exploited her trust.

According to Mr. Jackson, Shah lured the girl into the double bedroom used by his parents, where he committed multiple acts of rape. The abuse was not limited to these encounters; he also sexually assaulted her in the lounge on other occasions. The young girl struggled to understand what was happening to her at the time, only realizing the full extent of her victimization years later, after receiving sex education at school.

Despite the trauma, she did not initially disclose her experiences. It was only in September 2011 that she confided in a friend, hinting at the abuse without going into detail. Later that year, she told her mother about the incidents, but the case was not reported to authorities immediately. It was only after speaking with friends in February of the following year that she found the courage to approach the police and report the abuse.

Throughout the trial, Shah maintained his innocence, claiming that he had only played games with the girl during her visits and denying any sexual misconduct. However, the evidence presented was compelling enough to secure a conviction, and Shah now faces a significant prison sentence for his actions in Rugby during the 1990s.