- 12 men abused girl when she was 13 and 14, Bradford Crown Court heard
- In one of the brutal attacks she was raped by five of the men in succession
- Councillor Zafar Ali said some in the community feel 'she played her part'
- Keighley MP Kris Hopkins said Asian men are still 'getting away with it'
- Suspected ringleader Arif Chowdhury, 20, 'fled to Bangladesh in 2012'
A Muslim councillor has admitted that some feel as though 'it takes two to tango' as 12 men were jailed for gang-raping a 13-year-old white girl in West Yorkshire.
The gang of men from Pakistani origin were jailed for a total of 140 years at Bradford Crown Court today, for 13 months of horrendous abuse of the British white girl in 2011 and 2012.
However, the Councillor for Keighley Central, where the abuse took place, has admitted that some members of the community felt 'it takes two to tango' and that the girl may have 'played her part'.
Khalid Mahood (left), 34, was given an extended sentence of 17 years and Saqib Younis (right), 29, from Keighley jailed for 13 years at Bradford Crown Court
Faisal Khan (left), 27, from Keighley was jailed for 13 years at Bradford Crown Court and Sufyan Ziarab (right), 22, from Keighley, Yorkshire, for 15 years
Tanqueer Hussain (left), 23, from Keighley was jailed for 13 years and received a five year consecutive sentence for the rape of a second underage victim. Bilal Ziarab (right), 21, from Bradford, was jailed for 12 years
Zafar Ali, who has been a member of the Keighley Mosque for decades believes that some of the men may have attended in the past, but said the Muslim community totally condemn their actions.
He told MailOnline: 'Everyone now believes that justice has been done, we need to move forward and it is a lesson for the whole Muslim community.
'There are a few bad apples but this does not represent the Muslim community as a whole and any sensible Muslim totally condemns these actions.'
Eleven of the men were today jailed for rape and a twelfth man was jailed for sexual activity with a child under 16 today at Bradford Crown Court, but the ringleader has fled to Bangladesh.
West Yorkshire Police confirmed that the men jailed were of Pakistani origin.
The sentences come as it emerged that:
- Ringleader Ahmed Al-Choudhury who facilitated most of the offences is believed to now be living in Bangladesh after fleeing at the beginning of the investigation in 2012
- Keighley MP Kris Hopkins spoke out about the 'sick model' of Asian sex gangs grooming vulnerable young girls for sex in West Yorkshire
- Hopkins caused controversy in 2012 for claiming that Muslim men are 'fundamentally racist' and groups were 'out raping white girls' at that very moment
- He claims he has today been 'lambasted' for mentioning that the men were Asian, but claims that there are more victims 'who need justice'
- Councillor Zafar Ali, Keighley Central, says the issue is 'not confined' to the Muslim community and the response should be 'rational'
After the sentencing, Kris Hopkins, Conservative MP for Keighley spoke out against the 'sick model of organised groups of Asian men grooming young white girls', but said there are more women out there who need justice.
He said the sentenced were vindication for controversial comments he made during a parliamentary debate in 2012, claiming that organised groups of Asian men were 'going around raping white girls'.
However, he claims that even today he has been 'lambasted' for even mentioning that the men are Asian when talking about the sentences.
He told MailOnline: 'There are sexual offenders who are white, but the fact is this particular model is all Asian men and all the victims were white.
'I was attacked in 2012 and today, when these men were convicted, the community was silent. You have to ask yourself why these men get away with this behaviour.
'There is broader issues around the way women are treated in that community, there are hundreds if not thousands of women who live behind that door and have no voice.'
In a Commons speech three years ago, Mr Hopkins caused controversy three years ago when he suggested Muslim men were 'fundamentally' sexist towards women.
Yasser Kabir (left), 25, from was jailed for 15 years and Nasir Khan, 22, from Keighley, was jailed for 13 years
Mohammed Akram, 63, was jailed for five years for rape at Bradford Crown Court and Hussain Sardar (right), 19, from Keighley received six years detention in a young offenders institution
Israr Ali (left), 19, from Keighley, received three and a half years detention and Zain Ali, 20, from Keighley, received eight years, both in a young defenders institute
ESCAPED RINGLEADER WAS AN 'EVIL AND VIOLENT DRUG DEALER'
Arif Chowdhury, 20, allegedly left for Bangladesh during the investigation after he was arrested in 2012
Arif Chowdhury, 20, allegedly left for Bangladesh during the investigation after he was arrested in 2012 in connection to the raping of the schoolgirl, Bradford crown court heard last year.
He is also accused of pimping her out to his contacts in Keighley when he was just 15.
Louise Blackwell QC described Chowdhury, a convicted drug dealer, as being 'evil' and violent.
A jury heard how Chowdhury first raped the girl, who cannot be named, behind a church when he was 15.
He had previously got to know her when she was 13 after persuading her to do drug runs in Keighley.
She had attempted to stop helping the drugdealer, revealing to police how he had racially abused her and then raped her.
Chowdhury subjected her to regular beatings and made her have sex with other men in a year-long ordeal.
He allegedly brought her to an underground car park to meet four teenage friends of Chowdhury before they raped her.
He warned that gangs of Asian men were at large in Keighley, raping white girls, in the debate which followed the Rotherham sexual abuse scandal.
Questions were asked after it emerged that between 1997 and 2013, there were various reports of sexual exploitation at the hands of Asian men, but some were never made public or finalised.
However, Zafar Ali, who spent 21 years working for the government's Racial Equality Council, said that it is unfair to 'label the entire Muslim community'.
'There are a few bad apples but that doesn't mean to say everyone is bad. What they did is not Muslim and any sensible Muslim would condemn it.'
During the case, the Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC, said their behaviour throughout the trial was the worst he had seen in 40 years of legal practice.
Judge Roger Thomas QC condemned the 'insolent and disrespectful behaviour' the accused showed in court which he said reflected their treatment of their victim.
They showed her no shred of decency or humanity when as a vulnerable child she so needed care and understanding
Judge Roger Thomas QC
He told them: 'The attitudes of the majority of you have so clearly demonstrated to these proceedings has been contemptuous, disrespectful and arrogant on a scale that I have hardly seen before in many years of practice in criminal law.
'Exactly the same attitude to the 13/14 year old girl who you all sexually abused and exploited for your own selfish gratification.'
He added: 'None of these defendants had any concern for the victim.
'They were totally uninterested in her welfare and what damage they were causing her.
'The victim clearly demanded pity and understanding but their view of her was heartless and demeaning.
'They saw her as a pathetic figure who had no worth and who served no purpose than to be an object that they could sexually misuse and cast aside.
'They showed her no shred of decency or humanity when as a vulnerable child she so needed care and understanding.'
The court heard their victim now has post-traumatic stress disorder and clinical depression.
KEILEIGH MP WHO SPARKED OUTRAGE BY CLAIMING 'GANGS OF MUSLIM MEN ARE GOING AROUND RAPING WHITE GIRLS' DURING DEBATE IN 2012
Kris Hopkins, MP for Keighley
Kris Hopkins, MP for Keighley, said the extraordinary claim was a 'fact' and urged government agencies to tackle the problem, during a parliamentary debate in 2012.
But he was criticised by Muslim leaders in his constituency, who said he overstepped the mark during a Commons debate.
Mr Hopkins, a former leader of Bradford city council, also claimed Muslim men were 'fundamentally' sexist towards women, and politicians had to challenge behaviour and culture.
Speaking in a parliamentary debate on child sexual exploitation, Mr Hopkins claimed mainstream parties had failed by not speaking out about the racial and cultural aspect to some abuse cases and extremists groups had filled the vacuum.
He told MPs: 'The British National Party will use grooming as a key element of its campaign in the Rotherham election campaign, which will start soon.
'Not all British Pakistani men are abusing white kids. There is a minority, though. The media coverage gives long lists of notorious abusers - including vicars, priests and celebrities - who are all white and non-Muslim.'
The 'vast majority' of child abusers in this country are white, he added.
'But we should not get away from the fact that gangs of Muslim men are going round and raping white kids at this moment in time.
'But we should not get away from the fact that gangs of Muslim men are going round and raping white kids at this moment in time.
'That is an horrendous thing to say, but it is the fact of what is happening. I want to explore some of the state's agencies' behaviour towards that, and some of the community's associated behaviour and culture.'
Mr Hopkins conceded that his friends in the Commons and 'back home' would not like what he was saying, but he felt it had to be said.
'Fundamentally, there is a sexist behaviour by Muslim men towards women,' he said.
'We talk about institutions and commissions and all the rest of it. Fundamentally, as leaders, we need to challenge the behaviour that is going on.
'We need to do that from a point, though, of not being racist. We are friends who want those people to be successful in our society. They are part of British society, but there is behaviour that is unacceptable.'
COUNCILLOR ADMITS SOME IN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY THOUGHT THE VICTIM 'PLAYED HER PART', BUT SAYS NOT ALL SHOULD BE LABELLED
Councillor Zafar Ali, Keighley Central
Councillor Zafar Ali, Keighley Central
'The grooming intself is totally out of proportion, we don't condone that. As a a Muslim, living here for 52 years, I can tell you that no no-one does, it is categorically not Islamic.
'Things have happened which means justice has been done for the people who have suffered and the punishment has been given.
'What we need to do now is look forward and address the whole issue, it is not only confined to the Muslim community, it is not confined to any one section of the community, and the Muslim organisations throughout the UK are dealing with it, to address the issues, the moral issues, and as such, my feeling is the Muslim community should be addressing this quietly amicabally and sensibally. We should be rational.
'It takes two to tango, there are bad apples, but it doesn't mean to say everyone is bad. There are a few who unfortunately have got the wrong end of the stick, but that's not Muslim.
'Sensible, mature Muslims would never allow that, they have condmened that. We need to find a way to address it, it needs to be looked into.
'There are a few people who lose themselves but the entire community shouldn't be labelled.
'There is some feeling from some people that she played her part in it, the victim had a part to play, I couldn't make any comment on that but it is not widespread.
'We need to be looking forward. The rape of a woman is an evil act of humanity. People who meet me everyday, believe me everyone has said justice has now been done but we need to move forward and its a lesson to the whole of the community.
'But to the people who are victims, my heart goes out to the victim and those families who have been subject to abuse.'
In a statement, she told the court: 'My perception of what a normal relationship is is warped. Trust issues effect every aspect of my life.
'I have also had many physical effects. I was physically assaulted and punched and kicked and these hurt when I am tired.
'My moods are very variable and can be up and down at any time. I have no coping mechanisms and feel out of control.
'The court process has been very difficult. My anxiety and stress levels have been increased. I have struggled to remain in control of my emotions and life in general.'
The court heard how the majority of defendants had a host of previous convictions ranging from drugs, dangerous driving, assault, public disorder, stealing and handling stolen goods.
Khalid Raja Mahmood has a 'significant record' and is currently serving six and a half years for the rape of a 43-year-old woman and a consecutive one and a half years for attempting false imprisonment of a child.
Sufyan Ziarab, who has been jailed for 15 years outside Bradford Crown Court before sentencing
Other convictions include seven sexual offences, three offences of indecent assault and two for curb crawling, and the court heard he was nicknamed 'creepy Khalid'.
Mahmood, 34, pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and three counts of sexual activity with a child.
He was twice the victim's age when he met her and had plied her with drink.
The judge told him: 'Having met the victim you set about grooming her for sex. You drank alcohol and you offered the victim drink and drugs.
'You were then able to carry out your sexual offending against her, she being in that extremely vulnerable state.'
Speaking afterwards, West Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Burns-Williamson, said: 'Child sexual exploitation (CSE) and sexual abuse are abhorrent crimes.
'I welcome today's sentencing and commend the painstaking and thorough investigation by West Yorkshire Police, with the assistance of Bradford Council's Safeguarding Team.
I would also like to praise the courage of the brave survivors of these horrendous crimes for coming forward and giving evidence.
'I hope today's sentencing sends a clear message to those involved in CSE that the Police and partner agencies will do everything in their power to prevent CSE and sexual abuse and in seeking justice for the victims.
Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Bryar, of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: 'We are pleased that these men have now been sentenced for their terrible crimes against vulnerable young girls.
'We would again like to praise the victims for their courage in coming forward and enabling these men to be put before the courts.
We hope that today's sentences will give them some closure and help them with rebuilding their lives.
'Child Sexual Exploitation remains a priority for West Yorkshire Police. It is totally unacceptable and it is the responsibility of all agencies, communities and individuals to identify those responsible and help bring them to justice.
Faisal Khan makes a gun gesture with his hand and Mohamed Akram walks outside court before the sentencing. The judge said that their behaviour throughout the trial was the worst he has seen in 40 years
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