Two different Derby Grooming Gangs have roamed throughout Derby in the last 15 years.
In the first case, 26 young girls were targeted in a shocking case of abuse – with some victims being as young as 13.
Similarly echoing other grooming cases, the girls were plied with alcohol or drugs. They were then taken to hotels across the West Midlands where they would be abused.
The Derby Grooming Gang would repeatedly call and text the girls, sometimes picking them up in ‘flashy cars’ or offering them cigarettes.
Throughout the court case at Leicester Crown Court, one victim described being sexually assaulted by eight men at once.
In 2010, Mohammed Liaqat, Abid Saddique, Mohammed Imran Rehman, Ashley Kumar, Naweed Liaqat and Farooq Ahmed were all sentenced for their involvement in the grooming.
Their jail terms ranged from 18 months to 11 years with their disgusting actions leading to various convictions including rape, sexual assault and causing a young person under the age of 18 to be involved in pornography.
In a second chilling case in Derby, which took place between 2009 and 2010, eight men were found guilty after preying on young girls between the ages of 13 and 15.
The girls were picked up from care homes or the street by men who were aged between 35 and 60.
The disgusting men slept with the girls in exchange for as little as £5, cigarettes, drugs, mobile phones and treats – including a child’s toy and rides on a farmer’s tractor.
The men from the Derby Grooming Gang – Anthony Lambert, Stefan Godfrey, John Shaw, Ijaz Ahmed, Mark Adaoui, Colin Simpson, David Shardlow and Ian Yeoman – were jailed for a total of 42 years on September 25 2012.
Their sentences ranged from four to six years, with the majority of the convictions centring around paying under aged girls for sex.
The Derby Grooming Gang, if not sentenced for further crimes, will all have been released from jail now and looking for more victims.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.