Klaudio Aleksiu

A Windsor man, Klaudio Aleksiu, aged 28, from Church Terrace, has been convicted of rape as part of a grooming gang trial at Newcastle Crown Court. The eight-week trial concluded on Tuesday, 14 October 2024, with five men found guilty of serious sexual offences against six vulnerable teenage girls in the Gateshead area of Tyne and Wear.

Northumbria Police initiated a comprehensive investigation following reports of grooming and exploitation spanning from 2014 to 2019. The victims, aged between 13 and 16, were targeted by the gang, who supplied them with drugs and alcohol to facilitate sexual abuse. Aleksiu, originally from Albania and residing in Windsor at the time of reporting, was one of the convicted members, specifically found guilty of rape. The gang, comprising four Romanian nationals and one Albanian, operated primarily from the Bensham area of Gateshead during the period of the offences.

• Stefan Ciuraru, 22, of Brinkburn Avenue, Gateshead: Guilty of four counts of sexual assault, sexual activity with a child, and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
• Codrin Dura, 27, of Ripon Street, Gateshead: Guilty of four counts of rape, four counts of sexual activity with a child, blackmail, attempted rape, serious sexual assault, supplying a Class A drug, and arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence.
• Bogdan Gugiuman, 44, of Westbourne Avenue, Gateshead: Guilty of three counts of rape and supplying a Class A drug.
• Leonard Paun, 23, of Windsor Avenue, Gateshead: Guilty of five counts of rape, two counts of arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence, sexual activity with a child, sexual assault, supplying a Class A drug, and distributing photos of a child.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Graeme Barr, commended the victims' bravery, stating: 'Firstly, I want to start by praising the bravery, composure and dignity of the victims in this case. This has been a complex investigation which has taken time and support will continue to be available to them. Every child has the right to grow up safe from harm but for these girls their childhood was snatched from them in the cruellest of ways. The perpetrators in this case have committed horrific offences for which they have now been found guilty.'

Charlotte Dennison, head of the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) Unit at CPS North East, added: 'Those convicted today each played a part in grooming vulnerable girls into sexual activity, with some of the victims being exploited by multiple men after being plied with drugs and alcohol. For some of the victims, what began as a relationship with one person descended into them being passed between group members, where they were routinely abused while heavily intoxicated. The Crown Prosecution Service has worked closely with Northumbria Police to build a robust case against these men.' The sentencing for all convicted individuals is scheduled for a later date.