Umar Zaman

Six men, including Umar Zaman, have been convicted at Leeds Crown Court of grooming and sexually abusing vulnerable girls in Huddersfield. The offences occurred between 2005 and 2008, targeting three girls aged from 12 to 16. The men offered the girls cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs before subjecting them to rape and other forms of sexual abuse.

Prosecutor Richard Wright QC described how the perpetrators knew the victims were children but showed no regard for their well-being. 'These men cared only for themselves and viewed these girls as objects to be used and abused at will,' he stated during the trial. The court heard evidence that the girls were passed between the men for sexual purposes, with threats and violence employed to ensure compliance. The complainants had been deliberately avoiding home and authority figures prior to and during the abuses.

Umar Zaman, 31, from William Street, Huddersfield, was specifically convicted on two counts of rape. The convictions form part of a broader case highlighting the systematic exploitation of vulnerable minors. Sentencing for Zaman and the other convicted men is scheduled for 1 November at Leeds Crown Court, as reported by the BBC.

• Offences: Grooming, rape, sexual abuse
• Victims: Three girls aged 12-16
• Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
• Court: Leeds Crown Court