Six men are on trial accused of sexual offences in Keighley and Skipton, including the “grooming” and rape of a young teenage girl.
The victim, who is now in her late teens, cannot be named for legal reasons.
A catalogue of sexual offences are alleged to have been committed against her between April 2005 and April 2007.
The defendants, who face a total of 31 charges – including rape – are Keighley men Mohammed Zackriya, 21, of Springfield Road, Abid Ali, 27, of Cark Road, Shahid Iqbal, 25, of Nightingale Street, Raj Mohammed Shabir, 32, referred to in court as Shabir Junior, of Neville Street, Mohammed Shabir, 36, referred to as Shabir Senior, of Hawk Street, and Mohammed Taj, 37, of Aireview Terrace, Skipton, The court heard many of the alleged incidents took place at Caesars Pizza takeaway shop in Newmarket Street, Skipton, which is owned by Shabir Senior.
Taj, Iqbal and Shabir Junior all worked there at the time of the offences.
Zackriya and Ali, who are cousins, both worked for Skipton and Craven Taxis, which has an office in Sackville Street, Skipton, where some of the offences are said to have been committed.
Some of the offences are alleged to have happened at a house in Parkwood Street, Keighley.
All but one of the 31 counts against the men relate to the same girl.
Mohammed Shabir Senior is also charged with the sexual assault of another woman, at the rear of Caesars, on August 3, 2007.
Opening the case for the prosecution at Bradford Crown Court yesterday, Jonathan Carroll said of the teenage girl: “She was identified by the defendants as a vulnerable girl.
“She was offered inducements including cigarettes, alcohol, food and attention.
“A number of defendants told her that they loved her and gave her the attention she craved.
“These actions were all part of the process of grooming her for their sexual gratification.
“She has had full sexual intercourse and/ or oral sex with each defendant on more than one occasion at many locations.”
He told the jury that most of the time the sexual activity was consensual, but on occasions she was raped by Zackriya, Shabir Senior, Ali and Iqbal.
The trial continues
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