MANSOOR AKHTAR AND OTHERS SENTENCED IN HALIFAX AND HUDDERSFIELD CHILD SEX ABUSE CASE

In a landmark case that has sent shockwaves through West Yorkshire, a series of brutal sexual abuse crimes involving vulnerable minors have culminated in the sentencing of 13 men to over 150 years in prison. The case, which was closely guarded due to ongoing trials, was finally opened to the public after restrictions were lifted at Leeds Crown Court at the conclusion of the final trial.

Among those convicted is Mansoor Akhtar, aged 25, who was found guilty of engaging in sexual activity with a minor and also of supplying Class B drugs. The heinous crimes involved a young girl from Halifax, who was subjected to abuse from the ages of 13 to 15. The court heard that the girl, described by prosecutors as “lonely and needy,” was seeking companionship and affection, which her abusers exploited mercilessly.

The prosecution painted a disturbing picture of a girl who, for a significant period, did not realize she was a victim of grooming and exploitation. Instead, she sought out her abusers, driven by a desire to escape her unhappy childhood and a lack of understanding of the danger she was in. Her vulnerability was compounded by her experimentation with alcohol and drugs, including vodka, and her interactions with older men, with whom she engaged in sexual activities.

It was only after she was taken into care and moved away from her abusers that she began to comprehend the extent of her exploitation. She eventually disclosed the sex offences to the police, revealing that she had been taken to various locations including houses in Halifax and Bradford, hotels in Bradford, Leeds, and London, and even to a large house in Manchester owned by a drug dealer. During these encounters, she was often given drugs and alcohol, and sometimes money, but more frequently she was manipulated and used for sexual gratification.

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC sentenced the four men responsible for the most serious offences, describing the girl as a “deeply damaged child” who had been subjected to the “grossest abuse.” The judge emphasized that she was given alcohol, drugs, and money in exchange for sex, with no love, care, or affection involved. The court highlighted that she was taken advantage of when intoxicated and under the influence of drugs, subjected to humiliation and degradation by men who exploited her for their own sexual pleasure.

Judge Marson remarked that her vulnerability should have been obvious to anyone who came into contact with her, underscoring the severity of the abuse and the profound impact it had on her life. The case has brought to light the disturbing extent of child exploitation in the region, with authorities vowing to continue their efforts to protect vulnerable minors from similar predatory behavior in Halifax, Huddersfield, and beyond.