Iqlak Yousaf

Iqlak Yousaf, 34, of Tooker Road in Rotherham, was jailed for 20 years at Sheffield Crown Court after being convicted of two counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault on young girls aged 13 to 16 from 1998 to 2005. He was one of six men sentenced for their involvement in the systematic sexual exploitation and abuse of vulnerable teenagers in Rotherham.

The case emerged from Operation Stovewood, the NCA's ongoing probe into child sexual abuse in Rotherham, prompted by a 2014 report detailing over 1,400 victims between 1997 and 2013. Yousaf and his associates, all of British Pakistani heritage, groomed the girls using alcohol, drugs, and false promises of friendship, leading to violent and degrading sexual acts, including gang rapes where victims were passed between perpetrators.

In one harrowing account, Yousaf, alongside Nabeel Kurshid and another offender, provided cannabis to a 14-year-old girl before driving her to Sherwood Forest. There, the men took turns raping her, threatening to leave her stranded if she did not comply. Assaults occurred across Rotherham sites like Clifton Park, a Rawmarsh tip, and Ulley Country Park, with victims describing being intimidated and coerced into submission.

During the sentencing, Judge Sarah Wright condemned the group: 'Each in your own way perpetrated, facilitated or encouraged the sexual abuse of these young girls. You can have been in no doubt that the complainants were vulnerable in the extreme.' One victim's impact statement poignantly stated: 'Some parts of me can never be fixed.' The NCA's Paul Williamson emphasised: 'They used violence and intimidation and believed they were untouchable by law enforcement.' The judge further noted the offenders' calculated exploitation, which inflicted lifelong trauma on the survivors.

This trial represents continued efforts to deliver justice for the Rotherham victims, exposing the depth of the abuse and the perpetrators' predatory tactics.