Two cousins have been found guilty of grooming and sexually assaulting five teenage girls in a distressing pattern of abuse. Manzorr Hussain, aged 54, and his cousin Imtiaz Ali, aged 53, were convicted of historic child sexual exploitation against five girls aged between 13 and 16 in Bury from 1996 to 2000. The victims were coerced with alcohol and drugs before being victimized by the defendants, as detailed in the trial at Minshull Street Crown Court.
The victims, who came from troubled backgrounds, were exploited by the perpetrators for their own gratification. The abuse primarily took place in Bury but also extended to other locations in Greater Manchester and Wales. Following a four-week trial, the pair were found guilty and are awaiting sentencing in December, according to reports from Manchester Evening News.
A third individual, Hussain’s elder brother Ghulam Hussain, aged 64, faced charges related to the case but has reportedly left the country, as informed to the jurors during the trial, who were not tasked with determining his guilt. Anna Pope, representing the prosecution, described the case as involving the grooming and sexual abuse of five teenage girls by three men during the late 1990s.
The prosecution alleged that older men, including Ghulam Hussain, exploited the vulnerable situations of the girls, grooming them with substances, transportation, and companionship. The girls were made to feel indebted to the men, leading to non-consensual sexual activities between them and the older men.
Pope stated that Ghulam Hussain was the primary perpetrator who then involved his brother Manzoor Hussain and cousin Ali in the abuse. The trio operated market stalls, as mentioned in the proceedings. Ghulam Hussain, previously residing in Bury, lived with his family in a large residence, while Manzoor Hussain orchestrated the abuse and facilitated other girls for additional perpetrators, according to the prosecution.
Parties allegedly hosted by Ali involved providing drugs and alcohol to girls, who were expected to offer sexual services. One victim recounted being threatened with abandonment on the moors if she did not comply with their demands. The Crown Prosecution Service disclosed that Hussain took one victim to a location with a single dirty mattress where she was assaulted by multiple strangers.
The prosecution revealed that one victim initially reported the abuse, leading to the investigation and subsequent involvement of the other victims. Hussain and Ali were found guilty of multiple counts of rape and indecent assault, with Hussain facing seven counts of each offense and Ali being convicted of five counts of rape, five counts of indecent assault, and one count of attempted indecent assault.
After the verdict, Sergeant Daniel Whittaker of Greater Manchester Police, who spearheaded the investigation, condemned the defendants’ predatory behavior towards vulnerable children. He highlighted the offenders’ manipulation of the victims through substances and transportation before subjecting them to sexual abuse. Whittaker praised the victims for their courage in testifying against the perpetrators and expressed hope that the convictions would provide some closure and justice for the victims.