ROUMOULD HOUPHOUET AND ABSOLOM SIGIYO SENTENCED FOR ABUSING ROTHERHAM TEENS IN SHOCKING SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CASE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Rotherham, two men have been convicted and sentenced for their heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of underage girls. The investigation, led by the National Crime Agency (NCA), uncovered a pattern of grooming, exploitation, and assault that spanned over a year, leaving the victims traumatized and seeking justice.

Romauld Stefan Houphouet, a 37-year-old man originally from Ivory Coast and residing in Sheffield, and Absolom Sigiyo, aged 42 and a resident of Rotherham, were found guilty of multiple counts of rape and sexual assault against two 15-year-old girls. The court proceedings took place at Sheffield Crown Court on March 3, where the full extent of their crimes was revealed. Houphouet was sentenced to 20 years in prison, while Sigiyo received a sentence of 18 years and six months. Both men are also subject to restraint orders that prohibit any contact with the victims, and they are required to register on the Sexual Offences Register, ensuring ongoing monitoring of their activities.

The victims, now young women in their twenties, bravely came forward to recount the horrors they endured. They described being taken to numerous parties across Rotherham, where they were given alcohol and subjected to repeated sexual abuse by Houphouet and Sigiyo. The victims reported that some of the perpetrators openly referred to them as “fresh meat,” highlighting the predatory nature of the abuse.

The abuse began almost immediately after the first encounter in 2011. Houphouet, then 24 years old, approached one of the girls in Rotherham Town Centre and invited her to a party. During this initial meeting, he asked to speak with her privately and took her into an alleyway, where he proceeded to rape her. Following this assault, Houphouet took the girls to a house party at Sigiyo’s residence, which was attended by several men, including Sigiyo and an individual named Brzozowski. Over the course of a year, the girls endured ongoing sexual abuse at this location and at a second property where Sigiyo later resided.

One of the victims recounted how Houphouet had asked her to perform a lap dance at the first party. She and her friend were given alcohol, and after becoming sick in the bathroom, she was taken into a bedroom where Houphouet raped her again that same evening. From that point onward, the two men frequently found the girls in the town centre and pressured them to visit Sigiyo’s home, where the abuse continued.

The victims described their lives as chaotic and unstable, living in a care home from which they desperately wanted to escape. Both men exploited their vulnerability, grooming them with alcohol, cigarettes, and gifts such as taxis rides to Sigiyo’s residence. Once the girls accepted these offerings, Houphouet and Sigiyo demanded sexual acts in return. The repeated rapes inflicted upon the girls were described as occurring multiple times a week, with one victim waking up to find Sigiyo attempting to assault her again.

The first victim also detailed how Houphouet became possessive and abusive towards her. She recounted an incident where Houphouet verbally assaulted and raped her in a fit of revenge after discovering his lodger, Jacek Brzozowski, having sex with her at one of the parties. Sigiyo also raped the same girl, further compounding the trauma she experienced.

Specially trained officers from Operation Stovewood, the NCA’s dedicated investigation into historic allegations of sexual abuse in Rotherham, identified the victims and reached out to them. Both women, now in their twenties, provided detailed accounts of their abuse, which led to the charges against Sigiyo and Houphouet. During the investigation, Sigiyo attempted to intimidate one of the victims by approaching her on the street and pressuring her to deny his guilt. However, the victim reported his actions to authorities, resulting in his arrest on suspicion of intimidation and multiple sexual offences. Houphouet and Brzozowski faced similar charges in November 2022.

Senior Investigating Officer Kath Blain expressed her admiration for the victims’ bravery, stating, “Words can barely describe the bravery these two women have shown in reporting what happened to them. It cannot have been easy for the women to have relived the terrible abuse they suffered but they did so with strength, courage and utmost dignity.” She emphasized the importance of justice and hoped that this case would encourage other survivors of child abuse to come forward.

Martin McRobb, a Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, highlighted the predatory behavior of the defendants, noting that they targeted vulnerable young girls with alcohol and gifts to facilitate their sexual exploitation. He acknowledged the long-lasting trauma experienced by the victims and thanked them for their courage in giving evidence. McRobb reaffirmed the CPS’s commitment to supporting victims and pursuing justice relentlessly for those affected by such serious crimes.