Gul Riaz

In a landmark case under West Yorkshire Police's Operation Tendersea, Gul Riaz was among six men sentenced to a total of 55 and a half years imprisonment for the sexual exploitation of two young girls in Huddersfield spanning from 1995 to 2011. This investigation has led to 34 convictions overall, with cumulative sentences exceeding 300 years, addressing widespread child sexual abuse in the community.

Gul Riaz, 43, from Balmoral Avenue in Huddersfield, was convicted of one offence of rape and two indecent assaults against one victim, as well as a rape offence against the other victim, both aged 13 and 14 when initially targeted. The court was told that the group of older men preyed on the girls' vulnerabilities, fostering trust to enable repeated abuse described as 'vile and wicked' by Judge Geoffrey Marson QC at Leeds Crown Court. He noted: 'It is likely many of these girls will never recover from the abuse they suffered,' highlighting the profound, lasting effects on the victims.

Sentenced on 19 February 2020, Gul Riaz received the longest term of 15 years in custody. The trial revealed nine rapes and two indecent assaults committed by the group for 'their own perverted gratification'. This sixth trial from Operation Tendersea exposed a coordinated pattern of offences by predominantly Asian men over 16 years.

• Offences: One rape and two indecent assaults (victim 1); one rape (victim 2)
• Victim ages at start: 13-14
• Abuse period: 1995-2011

Coverage by the Manchester Evening News detailed the sentencing and the broader context of the police operation, emphasising the premeditated nature of the crimes.