Khurum Raziq

In a landmark case stemming from Operation Tourway, a major police investigation by West Yorkshire Police, Khurum Raziq, aged 42 from Heckmondwike, was convicted and sentenced to 22 years' imprisonment at Leeds Crown Court for his role in the sexual exploitation of vulnerable girls in the Batley and Dewsbury areas.

The offences occurred between 1999 and 2012, involving the appalling sexual abuse of eight girls who were treated as 'defenceless commodities to be abused and traded at whim', as described by the prosecution. Raziq was found guilty of eight counts of rape, contributing to a broader pattern of 'abhorrent in the extreme' behaviour by a group of 24 men.

• Arrests began in late 2018 following reports from the victims, who bravely came forward as adults.
• Charges were filed in December 2020 after extensive investigations.
• Trials spanned two years, with reporting restrictions lifted on the final sentencing in 2024.

Det Ch Insp Oliver Coates of West Yorkshire Police stated: 'Men such as Asif Ali, who alone was found guilty of 14 rape offences, committed appalling sexual abuse on a scale which can barely be believed.' While this quote references another offender, it underscores the severity of the collective crimes, including Raziq's. The victims' courage enabled the removal of these predators from the streets, providing some closure after years of trauma.

The case highlights systemic failures in protecting vulnerable children in West Yorkshire during the early 2000s, with police commending the juries for hearing 'absolutely shocking offending' details. Raziq's conviction is part of prosecutions that jailed all 24 men, with sentences ranging up to 30 years.