Rochdale and Oldham in Greater Manchester have been the focal point of several prominent grooming gang cases over the past two decades.
In May 2012, the inaugural Asian Rochdale and Oldham Grooming Gang, comprising nine males, was incarcerated for exploiting children as young as 13 over a span of 19 years.
Liverpool Crown Court was informed that the girls were administered drugs and alcohol and were ‘circulated for sexual purposes’.
All individuals convicted were found guilty of conspiring to engage in sexual activities with girls under the age of 16, with additional convictions related to rape and trafficking.
The individuals implicated in the landmark initial grooming gang trials in Rochdale and Oldham included ringleader Shabir Ahmed, Kabeer Hassan, Abdul Aziz, Abdul Rauf, Adil Khan, Mohammed Sajid, Mohammed Amin, Hamid Safi, and Abdul Qayyum.
Khan fathered a child with one of the 13-year-old victims.
Since then, a minimum of 38 men have been incarcerated between 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2023 for egregious offences against young girls.
The initial investigation was initiated by the Home Affairs Select Committee and examined Rochdale and Oldham Grooming Gangs.
The report determined that the police, social workers, and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had failed to safeguard children.
In 2022, subsequent to Telford’s investigation into grooming gangs, Oldham Council submitted their initial request to the Government to initiate an inquiry into sexual abuse in the town. It was dismissed by the Conservatives at that time.
Several months later, Greater Manchester’s independent investigation into abuse in the town revealed that both the police and the council had neglected to safeguard children and had concealed their shortcomings.
Two years later, following the Labour Government’s assumption of power, Oldham Council requests a Government-led probe, which is subsequently denied by Paedophile Loving Safeguarding Minister Ms. Jess Phillips MP.
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.