Abdulahi Aden

Abdulahi Aden, 20, known as 'Trigger', was a convicted rapist and drug supplier in a 13-man Somali gang that ran a child prostitution ring in Bristol, abusing vulnerable girls aged 13-17 over two years starting in 2011. The gang used grooming and violence to control victims, passing them for sex and drugs.

At Bristol Crown Court in the first trial, Aden was found guilty of raping Girl B, a 14-year-old found hiding in a cupboard during a police raid. He admitted possessing indecent photos of a child (Girl D) and supplying heroin and cocaine. Operation Brooke by Avon and Somerset Police uncovered the abuse through victim interviews and phone evidence.

• Aden raped victims in the gang's Easton flat base, using fear to silence them; one victim stated 'they made me do stuff'.
• The gang's tactics included cultural pretexts for sharing girlfriends, normalising the exploitation.

Sentenced to 13 years on 27 November 2014, Aden's crimes involved multiple facets of the ring. Prosecutor Anna Vigars described the systematic control. DI Gary Stephens commended the victims' courage, noting some were 'passed around' for money.

The convictions, part of two trials, led to community condemnation and ongoing victim support, highlighting failures in social care placements.