Latest Offenders

Description

Leslie Jones, 59, of Haven Road, Barton, has been jailed for two years after admitting further offences involving indecent images of children while subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

Jones admitted breaching a sexual harm prevention order on 16 June, three offences of making indecent images of children, and one of possessing prohibited images of children, between 3 February and 16 June. Prosecuting, Michele Stuart-Lofthouse told Hull Crown Court that police received information about an internet user involved in a file-sharing programme for child sexual abuse. As a registered sex offender under a 10-year order imposed on 28 October, officers attended his home. Asked if he had any devices other than a mobile phone, he replied “No.” A tablet he had tried to “conceal” was found in a bedroom.

It contained 45 Category A videos of young girls (three lengthy), 62 Category B images (60 videos), 1,025 Category C images (including 18 videos), and two prohibited images of children. There was no distribution.

Jones had nine previous convictions, including wounding in 1999, drink-driving, producing drugs and breaching a community order. On 28 October he received a 14-month suspended sentence, 150 hours’ unpaid work and 25 days’ rehabilitation activity, plus the 10-year sexual harm prevention order and sex offender registration, after admitting making indecent images of children, possessing prohibited images and possessing extreme pornography images of bestiality between April 2021 and December 2022.

At that earlier hearing, when he lived in Dundee Street, west Hull, police seized a mobile phone, tablet and laptop on 14 March 2023. They found 813 Category A, 562 Category B and 5,996 Category C indecent images of children (including videos), plus 478 prohibited images and three extreme pornography images. Search terms included “Lolita.” The girls depicted included ages five, six, eight, nine and 11. Jones denied distribution or a sexual interest in children and claimed the material appeared by accident—a claim branded a “lie.” He was told: “Nobody has that many accidents.” Recorder Geraldine Kelly KC said he had “deliberately” searched for and downloaded the images because of an “unnatural, perverted sexual interest in children” and that he “should be ashamed,” describing a “sordid collection.”

Mitigating, Julia Baggs said that after the October appearance Jones lost his job and home, received abuse in the street and became reclusive. He completed all but seven-and-a-half hours of unpaid work and began finding paid employment outside the area. It was “deeply disappointing” he had reoffended. He had been on remand since the new offences came to light and had difficulties settling into prison.

The two-year term includes a consecutive nine months for activating the suspended sentence. His phone and tablet were forfeited and he must remain on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Description

A Pershore man has today (Thursday 6 August) been sentenced to 11 years and nine months in prison for multiple non-recent sexual abuse offences against a child.

Martin Cowley, 70, of Checketts Close, Pinvin, was found guilty of 14 counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 16 years at Worcester Crown Court on Thursday 14 May following a four-day trial.

Cowley (pictured below) was today sentenced to 11 years and nine months for his crimes which date back to the 1990s.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life, made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which bans him from contacting under 18s, and handed a 15-year restraining order not to contact his victim.

The offences were first reported to police in 2023 which led to the charges and trial.

Detective Sergeant Louise Sutton, of the Protecting People Unit (PPU), said:

“We are pleased to get this custodial sentence against Cowley whose victim was only a child at the time. He may have thought he had got away with his disgusting crimes but today shows he has not escaped justice.

“We would like to pay tribute to the victim for their courage in coming forward and giving the evidence to us that has led to this successful prosecution. They have waited 30 years for this day.

“We hope today’s sentencing will help them to move on with their lives and that it encourages other victims of sexual abuse to come forward.

“We will always listen to you and act where appropriate no matter how long ago the offences took place.”

Description

A man who sexually abused a young girl on Boxing Day has been jailed.

"This incident has had a significant impact on my wellbeing and daily life. It affected me so much that I often couldn't sleep properly and would stay awake all night. 

Sometimes, I couldn't get myself out of bed for school. Even when I did manage to fall asleep, I would wake repeatedly throughout the night.  

"I continue to feel scared when I am home alone, particularly if someone knocks at the door. I always fear that it is him, despite knowing that he is not allowed to come near my home."

These are the words taken from the victim personal statement of a girl who was abused by Leeds man Anthony Higo.  

Child safeguarding detectives have commended the courage of the young survivor following the sentencing of Anthony Higo, aged 43.

Higo was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court yesterday (5 August), after being found guilty of sexual assault by touching on a 13-year-old girl. He was denied bail and remanded into custody.

Higo has been sentenced to 21 months imprisonment and placed on the sex offenders register. He is also the subject of both a restraining order and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The offences against the victim took place on December 26, 2023, and the offending was first reported to police in January 2024, leading to Higo’s arrest.

DC Heather Richmond said: 

“The survivor in this case has shown genuine bravery and determination in coming forwards and then supporting a prosecution against this man.

"We hope seeing him imprisoned can bring them some comfort and we continue to urge all victims of sexual offending to contact us, whether recent or non-recent, so we can create safer communities.”

Description

A 38-year-old man who was issued with a Sexual Risk Order (SRO) while under investigation for online child sex offences has been jailed for more than four years.

Liam Pink, formerly Kettering, was issued with the civil order in October 2022 at Northampton Magistrates’ Court which are used to manage those who pose a sexual harm risk to the public.

Northamptonshire Police applied for the SRO after Pink’s arrest on suspicion of attempting to cause/incite a girl under 13 to engage in a sexual activity and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

This followed allegations from an online activist group that between August 12 and 28, Pink had engaged in an online conversation, exchanging explicit messages of a sexual nature, with a 12-year-old girl. However, she didn’t exist and was in fact a decoy.

The five-year SRO was issued with certain conditions he was required to abide by, including not having unsupervised contact or communication with any child under the age of 16, not using any social media account unless in the name of Liam Pink and not using any device capable of accessing the internet without notifying police.

During a routine visit on April 9 this year, officers from Northamptonshire Police’s MOSOVO team, which closely manage sexual and violent offenders, arrested Pink after an examination of his mobile phone found that he had breached the SRO three times.

Between January 1 and March 31, there was evidence to suggest that he had had contact with a child under the age of two without the parent’s knowledge of his order. He had also failed to notify police about a social media account that he had set up using a different name.

Pink was subsequently charged with the three breaches of the SRO as well as the online child sex offences that he was under investigation for and on June 3, he pleaded guilty to all five offences at Northampton Magistrates’ Court.

His case was sent to Northampton Crown Court for sentencing, and on July 13, he was jailed for four years and four months and issued with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

Risk Management Officer Libbie Stiff from the Force’s MOSOVO Team, said:

“We take an absolute zero-tolerance approach to situations like this. Liam Pink’s repeat offending showed that he had a blatant disregard for the sanctions imposed by the court, and I am pleased that this sentence reflects the serious risk that he poses.

“I also hope this case reassures the public that we are working proactively to continue to keep children in Northamptonshire safe from online predators and to bring anyone who threatens that safety to justice.”

Description

A man who committed a string of child sexual offences in the 90s has now been jailed.

After the survivor bravely came forward in 2024, we have been working tirelessly to investigate 72-year-old Clive Davies, of Stafford, who we found had sexually assaulted a girl on a number of occasions.

Following our investigation, Davies has now been jailed for seven-years-and-three-months at Stafford Crown Court on Monday (3 August) after pleading guilty to two counts of indecent assault on a girl and two counts of inciting a girl to commit an act of gross indecency.

Detective Constable Jessica Taylor, from our rape and serious sexual offences unit, said:

“Davies may have thought he’d be able to get away with what he did a number of decades ago, but he underestimated the strength of the survivor in this case.

“It’s incredibly important that survivors of sexual offences know that we will do everything within our power to investigate those suspected of these offences, no matter how recent or long ago they took place.

“By building a strong case to take to court and working with the survivor, we’ve now been able to put another sex offender behind bars in Staffordshire.”

Description

Following a Thames Valley Police investigation, a man who raped a woman while she slept in her caravan following the Royal Windsor Horse Show has been jailed for more than eight years.

Ryan Dinnage, 32, of Caithness Walk, Croydon, was sentenced to eight years and six months’ imprisonment at Reading Crown Court on Thursday (30/7).

Dinnage was found guilty of one count of rape by a unanimous jury verdict on 8 June following a trial at the same court.

He was acquitted of one count of sexual assault and one count of causing a female to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity.

In the early hours of 16 May 2022, while the victim was asleep in her caravan, Dinnage entered and raped her.

The offence was reported to police later that day and Dinnage was arrested on 17 May 2022.

During police interviews, Dinnage initially denied any sexual activity with the victim. However, forensic evidence linked him to the offence and he later changed his account, claiming that any sexual activity had been consensual.

Investigators also uncovered digital evidence from Dinnage's mobile phone, which contradicted his account and placed him in the vicinity of the victim's caravan at the time of the offence.

Dinnage was charged by postal requisition on 6 March 2025.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Arshid Ali said:

“I am pleased with the sentence handed down, which reflects the seriousness of this offence.

“Thames Valley Police takes all reports of sexual offences extremely seriously, and we remain committed to investigating these offences thoroughly and bringing those responsible to justice.

“This has been a long and difficult process for the victim, spanning more than four years. I hope that the sentence handed down provides her with a sense of closure and allows her to begin moving forward with her life.

“I would like to thank her for the courage and strength she has shown throughout the investigation and court proceedings.”

Description

A rapist has been sentenced to eight years in prison after attacking his victim and threatening to kill her.

Iain Platt, 51, from Bideford, was sentenced at Exeter Crown Court on Thursday 30 July after being convicted of rape, threats to kill and one other charge.

The court heard how Platt raped his victim on a number of occasions in North Devon.

He threatened to kill her and would force her to have sex with him without consent.

In interview Platt insisted all sexual contact between him and the victim was consensual.

Officer in the case, Detective Sergeant Sam Jones, said:

“Firstly, I want to acknowledge the immense courage shown by the victim throughout this investigation and court process.

“What she endured was a sustained campaign of abuse.

“In this case, the defendant used fear, manipulation, and sexual violence to dominate the victim.

“The impact on the victim has been devastating and long-lasting. She has shown tremendous strength in reporting what happened and remaining committed to the criminal justice process despite the significant trauma she has experienced.

“I would also like to thank the specialist support services and partner agencies who assisted the victim throughout this investigation.

“If anybody has been the victim of rape or sexual violence, I would encourage them to report it. Support is available, and you will be listened to."

Description

A Castleford man has been jailed for multiple child sex offences following an investigation by safeguarding officers.

John Godfrey was given a 12-year sentence for carrying out crimes against two girls aged under 13.

The 45-year-old, formerly of Beech Crescent in Castleford, was investigated by officers from Wakefield District Safeguarding Unit after the allegations came to light.

He was charged with the offences, but denied them until the first day of his trial which was due to take place in May.

Godfrey then admitted four counts of sexual assault against one of the victims who was aged under 13 at the time.

He also admitted five counts of sexual assault, against another victim, as well as one count of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

The offences all took place in Wakefield District between the 2010s and 2022.

Separately, Godfrey also admitted three counts of making indecent images of children, three counts of causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child and possession of extreme pornography.

Appearing before Leeds Crown Court for sentencing on Friday (31 July), Godfrey was given a 12-year sentence.

He will also be subjected to an extended licence for four years and six months once he has served his sentence.

He was given a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must also register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Khi Smith who investigated Godfrey, said:

“I’m pleased that Godfrey’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his offending. He is a dangerous individual who has been held accountable for the harm he has caused to children.

“The victims showed immense courage and resilience throughout this investigation and the court process. Speaking about abuse is never easy, and their strength in coming forward has been instrumental in securing this conviction. I would also like to recognise the vital family support they have received.

“I hope this outcome sends a clear message that victims of child sexual abuse will be listened to, supported and taken seriously.

“If you have experienced abuse, whether recently or many years ago, I would urge you to come forward and report it. You may not only find support for yourself but also help protect others from harm.”

Description

A Maidstone sex offender is starting a prison sentence after investigators tracked down 5 of his victims.

In November 2022, Kent Police received information from a third-party that Tony Mansford had raped a teenager more than a decade earlier.

Officers quickly identified the victim who reported further offences. Mansford was interviewed under caution after which further enquiries were undertaken.

Investigators then located 4 more of Mansford’s victims who said he had targeted them when they were children. A sixth victim also came forward to make a report.

In March 2023, Mansford, of Concord Avenue in Chatham, but previously from Maidstone, was arrested. He was later charged with 2 counts of rape, 9 counts of indecent assault, attempting to indecently assault, 2 counts of sexual activity with a child, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual assault and child cruelty.

He pleaded not guilty but following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court was convicted of all the offences. Mansford, 58, was sentenced on Thursday 30 July 2026 at the same court to 25 years' imprisonment.

Detective Sergeant Helen Bateman said:

'The investigating officer involved in this case went above and beyond to establish the full extent of Mansford's offending. They worked diligently to identify and engage with victims, ensuring they received the support they needed.

'I would like to commend each victim who showed immense courage in supporting the investigation and bringing Mansford to justice.

‘I would encourage anyone who has been the victim of a similar offence to contact us, regardless of when it occurred. Our specialist officers are here to listen and support you.'

Description

A 41-year-old man has been sent to prison after he was found guilty of attempted rape.

On November 8, 2025, Bishan Shiekh approached a vulnerable woman inside a property in Northampton and attempted to rape her.

Thankfully she managed to get away and the offence was reported to Northamptonshire Police.

Shiekh was arrested and subsequently charged with one count of attempted rape, taking the case to a trial which started on April 28 this year at Northampton Crown Court and lasted for five days.

At the end, the jury found him guilty.

Shiekh returned to the same court earlier this month (July 10) where he was sentenced to seven years in prison with another two on extended licence. 

Detective Sergeant Liz Jeeves from Northamptonshire Police’s SOLAR Team said:

“This was a frightening and traumatic experience for the survivor of this incident, who showed great courage throughout the investigation and court process. Thanks to the dedication of the officer in the case, DC Adam Smart, the strength of the evidence presented, and the bravery of this woman, Bishan Shiekh has now been held accountable for his actions.

“Violence against women and girls remains a priority for Northamptonshire Police, and we are committed to relentlessly pursuing those who commit these offences. We take every report of sexual violence extremely seriously, thoroughly investigating allegations, supporting victims and doing everything we can to bring offenders to justice.

“We hope this sentence provides reassurance that reports of this nature will be acted upon and that anyone who has experienced sexual violence feels able to come forward and speak to us. You will be listened to, supported and your report will be investigated.”

Description

A sex offender has been jailed after targeting a child on the Isle of Sheppey.

An investigation was launched into Joseph Hatton after his victim disclosed they had been indecently touched in the past.

Arrest

Hatton was arrested on 27 September 2025 and a review of his mobile phone uncovered hundreds of indecent images of children.

The 40 year old was later charged with multiple offences including sexual activity with a child, making indecent images of a child and possessing extreme pornographic images.

Court

Hatton, of Plough Road, Eastchurch, denied the allegations but was convicted of all counts by a jury at Maidstone Crown Court.

At the same court on Wednesday 29 July 2026, he was sentenced to 6 years and 10 months’ imprisonment.

Hatton will also be subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and has been placed on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Investigating Officer Detective Constable Robert Hughes said:

‘Hatton’s vile crimes have had a significant impact on his young victim, and his denials to the jury have only added to their trauma. I would like to commend their courage in coming forward and supporting the case against him.

‘Hatton’s possession of indecent images show he remains a risk to children and it is quite right he is now behind bars. His conduct will be restricted by a court order when he is eventually released and any breaches will lead to his immediate arrest.’

Description

Child Rapist Exposed by Love Bite After Hiding Past from New Partner

A North East child rapist who failed to declare his convictions to a new partner was caught when police spotted a love bite on his neck.

Mark Hubbard, 32, of The Crescent, Middlesbrough, remains subject to a sexual risk order (SRO) because he continues to pose a danger to the public, Teesside Crown Court heard. He was jailed for 12 years in 2014 for raping a child under 16 and convicted again in 2016 of engaging in sexual activity with a child.

Prosecutor Albany Kidd said Hubbard, classified as a very high-risk sex offender, was required under the SRO to inform any new partner of his previous convictions and notify the authorities.  

“A police officer attended his home to carry out an unannounced review with him,” she told the court. “The officer noticed that the defendant had a love bite on his neck and he stated – ‘I have been seeing a lass for a couple of day and she doesn’t know about my past’.”

The woman, who believed he was called Mark Wilson, told police she was “disgusted” when she learned of his record.  

The court heard Hubbard had previously breached the SRO within days and received a 12-month jail term. He was released from that sentence on 18 June and was on licence when he committed the latest offence, resulting in his recall to custody.  

Hubbard pleaded guilty to the breach on 5 July. Tom Bennett, mitigating, said he had pleaded at the earliest opportunity and “acknowledges this is something that will result in another custodial sentence.”  

Judge Andrew Hatton sentenced him to two years’ custody. He said: “The police spoke to the woman and she indicated you had given a different surname and you had engaged in a sexual relationship with her with alerting her. She indicated that she felt disgusted at the thought of what you had done.”

Description

Ziaullah Badshah, 25, of Brighton Road, Rhyl, was found guilty of two counts of rape, two counts of conspiracy to traffic, two counts of conspiracy to require a person to perform compulsory labour, supplying cannabis to another.

A total of five defendants have today been convicted at Caernarfon Crown Court following a major child sexual exploitation investigation led by North Wales Police.

• Mustafa Iqbal
• Mohamed Usman Arshad
• Ziaullah Badshah

The convictions relate to the exploitation and abuse of three teenage girls in Rhyl and the surrounding area between April 2022 and March 2024.

The victims’ ages ranged between 14 and 16 at the time of the offences, which occurred in cars, residential addresses, and at business premises in the Denbighshire area.

During a three-month trial, the court heard evidence of rape, sexual assault, child sexual exploitation, modern day slavery offences, drug supply, and attempts to obstruct justice.

All offences were reviewed by North Wales Police detectives as part of linked investigations named Operation Embank and Operation Zirconium, which targeted those involved in child sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

Each of the defendants had denied the charges brought against them at court and maintained their innocence throughout proceedings.

Following a unanimous jury verdict in court, the five defendants were found guilty of more than 40 separate offences.

Mustafa Iqbal, Mohamed Usman Arshad, Ziaullah Badsha and Jaswinder Singh have all been remanded in custody and will now be sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court on Friday, 25 September.

Sarah Gray was bailed to also appear for sentencing at Caernarfon Crown Court on Friday, 25 September.

Senior Investigating Officer, DCI Richard Sidney said:

“Today, my thoughts are first and foremost with the three young women at the heart of this case.

“They were children, aged just 14 to 16, when they were subjected to exploitation and abuse by adults who took advantage of their vulnerabilities and sought to manipulate and control them for their own gain.

“No child should have to experience what these young women endured. The impact of child sexual exploitation can be profound and long-lasting, and the harm caused by these offences cannot be understated.

“Today's verdicts represent an important step towards accountability and justice. While no court outcome can undo the trauma these young women have experienced, I hope this result offers some measure of recognition of the harm done to them.

“Throughout this investigation and the three-month trial, the young women engaged with the criminal justice process despite the significant challenges that can come with revisiting traumatic experiences. By sharing their evidence, they helped ensure those responsible could be held accountable for their actions.

“I would like to thank them for the trust they placed in the investigation team and acknowledge the difficult journey they have been through. I also want them to know that what happened to them was not their fault. Today's convictions are a reflection of the offenders' actions and decisions, not the actions of the children they exploited.

“Mustafa Iqbal, Mohamed Usman Arshad, Ziaullah Badsha, Jaswinder Singh, and Sarah Gray, denied almost every allegation against them from the outset.

“Rather than accepting responsibility for the appalling harm they caused, they forced these young women to endure the additional trauma of a lengthy trial, requiring them to relive their experiences in a courtroom.

“I hope today’s outcome sends a clear message that those who seek to groom and exploit vulnerable children will be relentlessly pursued.

“We remain committed to identifying offenders, supporting victims and working with our partners to protect young people from those who seek to abuse and exploit them.

“I would also like to recognise the professionalism and dedication of the investigative team, specialist staff, prosecutors and partner agencies who have worked tirelessly to support the victims and present this case before the court.”

Description

Mohamed Usman Arshad, 36, of Clifton Grove, Rhyl, was found guilty of three counts of rape, two counts of conspiracy to traffic, two counts of conspiracy to require a person to perform compulsory labour, and supplying cannabis to another.

• Mustafa Iqbal
• Mohamed Usman Arshad
• Ziaullah Badshah

A total of five defendants have today been convicted at Caernarfon Crown Court following a major child sexual exploitation investigation led by North Wales Police.

The convictions relate to the exploitation and abuse of three teenage girls in Rhyl and the surrounding area between April 2022 and March 2024.

The victims’ ages ranged between 14 and 16 at the time of the offences, which occurred in cars, residential addresses, and at business premises in the Denbighshire area.

During a three-month trial, the court heard evidence of rape, sexual assault, child sexual exploitation, modern day slavery offences, drug supply, and attempts to obstruct justice.

All offences were reviewed by North Wales Police detectives as part of linked investigations named Operation Embank and Operation Zirconium, which targeted those involved in child sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

Each of the defendants had denied the charges brought against them at court and maintained their innocence throughout proceedings.

Following a unanimous jury verdict in court, the five defendants were found guilty of more than 40 separate offences.

Mustafa Iqbal, Mohamed Usman Arshad, Ziaullah Badsha and Jaswinder Singh have all been remanded in custody and will now be sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court on Friday, 25 September.

Sarah Gray was bailed to also appear for sentencing at Caernarfon Crown Court on Friday, 25 September.

Senior Investigating Officer, DCI Richard Sidney said:

“Today, my thoughts are first and foremost with the three young women at the heart of this case.

“They were children, aged just 14 to 16, when they were subjected to exploitation and abuse by adults who took advantage of their vulnerabilities and sought to manipulate and control them for their own gain.

“No child should have to experience what these young women endured. The impact of child sexual exploitation can be profound and long-lasting, and the harm caused by these offences cannot be understated.

“Today's verdicts represent an important step towards accountability and justice. While no court outcome can undo the trauma these young women have experienced, I hope this result offers some measure of recognition of the harm done to them.

“Throughout this investigation and the three-month trial, the young women engaged with the criminal justice process despite the significant challenges that can come with revisiting traumatic experiences. By sharing their evidence, they helped ensure those responsible could be held accountable for their actions.

“I would like to thank them for the trust they placed in the investigation team and acknowledge the difficult journey they have been through. I also want them to know that what happened to them was not their fault. Today's convictions are a reflection of the offenders' actions and decisions, not the actions of the children they exploited.

“Mustafa Iqbal, Mohamed Usman Arshad, Ziaullah Badsha, Jaswinder Singh, and Sarah Gray, denied almost every allegation against them from the outset.

“Rather than accepting responsibility for the appalling harm they caused, they forced these young women to endure the additional trauma of a lengthy trial, requiring them to relive their experiences in a courtroom.

“I hope today’s outcome sends a clear message that those who seek to groom and exploit vulnerable children will be relentlessly pursued.

“We remain committed to identifying offenders, supporting victims and working with our partners to protect young people from those who seek to abuse and exploit them.

“I would also like to recognise the professionalism and dedication of the investigative team, specialist staff, prosecutors and partner agencies who have worked tirelessly to support the victims and present this case before the court.”

Description

Mustafa Iqbal, 43, of Trellewelyn Road, Rhyl, was found guilty of four counts of rape, three counts of conspiracy to require a person to perform compulsory labour, three counts of sexual assault, three counts of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, two counts of conspiracy to traffic, conspiracy to supply cannabis to another, conspiracy to supply cocaine to another, supplying cannabis to another, arranging or facilitating the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, and breaching a slavery/trafficking risk order.

A total of five defendants have today been convicted at Caernarfon Crown Court following a major child sexual exploitation investigation led by North Wales Police.

• Mustafa Iqbal
• Mohamed Usman Arshad
• Ziaullah Badshah

The convictions relate to the exploitation and abuse of three teenage girls in Rhyl and the surrounding area between April 2022 and March 2024.

The victims’ ages ranged between 14 and 16 at the time of the offences, which occurred in cars, residential addresses, and at business premises in the Denbighshire area.

During a three-month trial, the court heard evidence of rape, sexual assault, child sexual exploitation, modern day slavery offences, drug supply, and attempts to obstruct justice.

All offences were reviewed by North Wales Police detectives as part of linked investigations named Operation Embank and Operation Zirconium, which targeted those involved in child sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

Each of the defendants had denied the charges brought against them at court and maintained their innocence throughout proceedings.

Following a unanimous jury verdict in court, the five defendants were found guilty of more than 40 separate offences.

Mustafa Iqbal, Mohamed Usman Arshad, Ziaullah Badsha and Jaswinder Singh have all been remanded in custody and will now be sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court on Friday, 25 September.

Sarah Gray was bailed to also appear for sentencing at Caernarfon Crown Court on Friday, 25 September.

Senior Investigating Officer, DCI Richard Sidney said:

“Today, my thoughts are first and foremost with the three young women at the heart of this case.

“They were children, aged just 14 to 16, when they were subjected to exploitation and abuse by adults who took advantage of their vulnerabilities and sought to manipulate and control them for their own gain.

“No child should have to experience what these young women endured. The impact of child sexual exploitation can be profound and long-lasting, and the harm caused by these offences cannot be understated.

“Today's verdicts represent an important step towards accountability and justice. While no court outcome can undo the trauma these young women have experienced, I hope this result offers some measure of recognition of the harm done to them.

“Throughout this investigation and the three-month trial, the young women engaged with the criminal justice process despite the significant challenges that can come with revisiting traumatic experiences. By sharing their evidence, they helped ensure those responsible could be held accountable for their actions.

“I would like to thank them for the trust they placed in the investigation team and acknowledge the difficult journey they have been through. I also want them to know that what happened to them was not their fault. Today's convictions are a reflection of the offenders' actions and decisions, not the actions of the children they exploited.

“Mustafa Iqbal, Mohamed Usman Arshad, Ziaullah Badsha, Jaswinder Singh, and Sarah Gray, denied almost every allegation against them from the outset.

“Rather than accepting responsibility for the appalling harm they caused, they forced these young women to endure the additional trauma of a lengthy trial, requiring them to relive their experiences in a courtroom.

“I hope today’s outcome sends a clear message that those who seek to groom and exploit vulnerable children will be relentlessly pursued.

“We remain committed to identifying offenders, supporting victims and working with our partners to protect young people from those who seek to abuse and exploit them.

“I would also like to recognise the professionalism and dedication of the investigative team, specialist staff, prosecutors and partner agencies who have worked tirelessly to support the victims and present this case before the court.”