Usman Sultan 32

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A judge has jailed a Keighley man for 12 years for rape offences committed against a vulnerable teenage girl who was groomed and plied with alcohol by a number of men more than a decade ago.

Usman Sultan, 30, became the latest defendant to be jailed following two trials at Bradford Crown Court, but the court heard on Friday (July 1) that he was still protesting his innocence. Barrister John Batchelor, for Sultan, said his client maintained that he had been wrongly identified as the perpetrator of these very serious offences.

But last year Sultan, of Lawkholme Lane, Keighley, was found guilty by a jury of three charges of rape committed against the complainant, who must not be identified for legal reasons, when he was aged 16 or 17. Judge Andrew Hatton, who had already jailed other defendants in the case, described how some of the rape offences were committed against the complainant while other men laughed or gave encouragement to Sultan.

He said the complainant had been an extremely troubled and tormented young woman and her victim impact statement made harrowing reading. Seven other men have already received jail terms totalling nearly 80 years for their abuse of the same complainant and Judge Hatton said the teenager was regularly plied with alcohol.

The judge said she had suffered severe psychological harm as a result of the offending which included elements of degradation and humiliation. Because of Sultans age at the time of the offending Judge Hatton reduced what would have been a 15-year jail term to 12 years and he said Sultan would have to serve at least eight years before being considered for release.

Sultan will now have to register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life. In March Amjad Hussain, 35, of Keighley, who was convicted of three counts of rape, was jailed for 12 years. And in February six other men received jail sentences totalling 66 years.

They were:

- Nazir Khan, 30, of Keighley, has been jailed for 12 years after being convicted of two counts of rape and an extended 8-year licence period for each count. He is already on the sex offenders register

- Kamran Hussain, 29, of Keighley has been jailed for five years after being convicted of rape and ordered to register on the sex offenders list for life

- Omar Safdar, 30, of Oldham, has been jailed for 12 years after being convicted of three counts of rape.

- Imran Sabir, 42, of Keighley has been jailed for 12 years after being convicted of two counts of rape.

- Hassan Basharat, 32, of Keighley has been jailed for 12 years after being convicted of three counts of rape.

- Barber Hussain, 36, of Bradford has been jailed for 13 years after being convicted of seven counts of rape.

All the charges relate to offending which happened around Keighley between 2008 and 2009 against one victim who was a child at the time. She came forward to police as an adult and reported the abuse she had suffered which led to an investigation being launched.

Speaking after the sentencing in February, the victim at the centre of the investigation said: "The driving force for me to keep going through all of this was so that it prevents it from happening to other people, and also it might help other people come forward."

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Weekes, of Bradford District Police said: "We welcome the sentences that have been handed down to these men. Cases such as these are incredibly sensitive and complex and it often takes years of painstaking investigation to bring them before the courts.

"I would like to take this opportunity to praise the victim for coming forward and reporting these offences to the police, for her patience whilst the criminal investigation has been ongoing and her courage in giving evidence in court. The abuse she endured robbed her of her childhood and I hope seeing all of these men sent to prison today for these horrendous offences she was subjected to will allow her to start to look forward to the future.

"If anyone has suffered abuse, or has concerns about someone who may be suffering abuse, I would urge them to come forward and speak to the police. We will listen to you and investigate all offences and also ensure you have access to any help or support you need.

"I hope this sends a clear message that, regardless of how long ago these offences may have happened, we will pursue every avenue to get justice."