SHABIR AHMED OF OLDHAM AND ROCHDALE SENTENCED TO 22 YEARS FOR CHILD RAPE IN ROCHDALE GROOMING CASE

In August 2012, a significant development unfolded in the ongoing investigation into child exploitation in the Rochdale area. The leader of a notorious grooming gang, Shabir Ahmed, aged 59 and residing in Oldham, was handed an additional 22-year prison sentence after being convicted on 30 charges of child rape. This sentencing followed his earlier conviction at Manchester Crown Court in June, where he was found guilty of raping and sexually abusing a girl over a period exceeding ten years.

Ahmed’s initial conviction in May at Liverpool Crown Court was part of a broader crackdown on a group of nine men from Rochdale and Oldham, all of whom were found guilty of exploiting young girls, some as young as 13, at two takeaway restaurants located in the Heywood area of Rochdale. Due to the severity and number of charges, Ahmed was initially not named publicly, as he faced additional allegations. He was sentenced to 19 years at that time, with his new sentence to run concurrently, effectively extending his total time behind bars.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Mushtaq Khokhar had to remove Ahmed from the courtroom after the defendant repeatedly interrupted proceedings. Before his removal, Ahmed vociferously claimed, “It’s all lies. It’s all concocted by the police,” displaying defiance and anger. He also directed a provocative question towards journalists present, shouting, “What are you looking at?” in a display of contempt.

The court was informed that Ahmed, who lived on Windsor Road, had treated his victim as a “possession,” exploiting her for his own sexual gratification. The abuse was described as ongoing, occurring on an almost weekly basis. The jury heard that Ahmed’s crimes were part of a systematic pattern of exploitation, which included two counts of rape, aiding and abetting rape, sexual assault, and trafficking for sexual exploitation purposes.

Following the verdicts in June, Detective Chief Superintendent Mary Doyle publicly commended the victim’s extraordinary bravery in coming forward. She emphasized that Ahmed’s involvement in the Rochdale grooming case was well-established and revealed that his abusive campaign had begun many years earlier, centered around the systematic rape of this particular victim. Doyle’s comments underscored the gravity of the case and the importance of justice for the victims involved in this disturbing series of crimes in the Rochdale and Oldham areas.