Huddersfield grooming ring: Man jailed for ‘depraved’ rape of teenager while other men abused her

‘You have shown not a shred of remorse for what you did,’ judge tells Banaris Hussain

A man has been jailed for raping a teenage girl while other men also abused her in Huddersfield.

Banaris Hussain, 36, told the judge it was a “miscarriage of justice” as he was led from the dock after being sentenced to 10 years behind bars at Leeds Crown Court.

A total of 27 men have now been convicted following West Yorkshire Police’s Operation Tendersea investigation into child sexual exploitation in the town, with prison sentences totalling more than 300 years.

Hussain, of William Street, Huddersfield, was sentenced on Monday after being found guilty at the end of the fifth trial linked to the operation.

Five other defendants in the trial were jailed for a total of 45 years on Friday by Judge Geoffrey Marson QC, who said their abuse was “vile and wicked” and “defies understanding”.

On Monday, the judge said he would not repeat those sentencing remarks but told Hussain: “I addressed how the girls had been groomed by a number of Asian men in order for sexual abuse to be committed against them.

“I spoke of the traumatic effect the abuse had on them. You have shown not a shred of remorse for what you did.

“The offence of rape was committed at a time when [the victim] was 14 or 15.

“You raped her when a number of others were present and also abusing her.”

Nick Worsley, defending, said Hussain’s offence was not as “shocking or extreme” as those committed by some of the other defendants.

He told the court that Hussain, who was aged between 22 and 24 at the time of the rape, was hard-working and had been left to care for his ill mother when his father left them.

Hussain’s sentence brings the total jail sentences of the five Operation Tendersea trials to 322 years.

On Friday, Umar Zaman, 31, who is believed to have fled to Pakistan, and Samuel Fikru, 32, also of William Street, were each jailed for eight years after they were convicted of two counts of rape.

A 32-year old man was jailed for 14 years for five counts of rape, another 32-year-old man was jailed for eight years for one count of rape and a 38-year-old man was jailed for seven years for attempted rape.

Their names cannot be reported for legal reasons.

The wider gang abused a string of girls as young as 12 who were deliberately targeted because of their vulnerability and social isolation, courts have been told.

Detective Chief Inspector Richard McNamara, of West Yorkshire Police, said: “We welcome the sentencing of these six men for offences which can only be described as depraved.

“These individuals sexually abused three vulnerable young girls and the sentences reflect the dreadful nature of what they have done.

“We hope that seeing these men put behind bars will be a source of some comfort for these brave and courageous victims as they continue to come to terms with their lived experiences.”

If you have been affected by sexual violence, you can find help via the NHS. Rape Crisis offers specialist support for women and girls; and the The Survivors’ Trust supports people of any gender.

Additional reporting by Press Association