Israr Ali, a 19-year-old resident of Devonshire Street West in Keighley, West Yorkshire, has been convicted of one charge of rape following a five-week trial at Bradford Crown Court. The case involved the sexual exploitation and abuse of a vulnerable schoolgirl aged 13 to 14 over a 13-month period. Ali was one of 14 men tried, with 12 ultimately found guilty of various sexual offences against the victim.
The offences centred on the systematic grooming, threatening, and rape of the young girl, who was deliberately targeted due to her vulnerability. Ten men, including Ali, were convicted of a total of 16 counts of rape. Another defendant pleaded guilty to five rape charges, while a 63-year-old cab driver was convicted of underage sex with the girl. Three men were acquitted. All 12 guilty defendants, including Ali, were remanded in custody pending sentencing scheduled for 5 February.
Ali's conviction was for a specimen charge of rape, though he was cleared of a specific related charge. During the trial, Recorder of Bradford Roger Thomas QC explained the distinctions between specimen and specific charges to the jury, who returned their verdicts after careful deliberation. Following the convictions, Peter Mann, head of Complex Casework at the Crown Prosecution Service, stated: "These 12 men are responsible for a wide range of crimes involving child sexual exploitation and abuse. Their victims were young, naive and vulnerable, and were deliberately targeted. One victim was systematically groomed, threatened, exploited and raped."
Subsequently, Ali sought to appeal his conviction. On a recent hearing at Bradford Crown Court, he was brought from custody to request the trial judge's permission for an expedited appeal process. His barrister, Frida Hussain, expressed confusion and concern over the jury's outcome, noting: "I was confused and concerned about the outcome. I accept this is an unusual practice, but I was concerned." However, Judge Thomas declined the request, stating it was an "extremely exceptional course" and that he had "no qualms about sentencing him for the count for which he has been convicted." The judge affirmed the jury's intelligence and adherence to instructions, adding: "I don't have any real concerns about this conviction in these circumstances." As a result, Ali's defence team will proceed through the standard Court of Appeal procedures.
The case highlights a disturbing instance of child sexual exploitation in Keighley, with the guilty men facing custodial sentences for their roles in the abuse. Sentencing for all 12 defendants is set for 5 February at Bradford Crown Court.