Arshad Jani

In a landmark case at the Old Bailey, six men were convicted for orchestrating a sex grooming ring that preyed on vulnerable underage girls in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, over a six-year period from 2006 to 2012. The abuses included multiple rapes, child prostitution, and stupefying victims with substances. Arshad Jani was among the perpetrators from Aylesbury, Milton Keynes, and Bradford who targeted two schoolgirls from unstable backgrounds, using gifts like alcohol, DVDs, food, and drugs to build false relationships and facilitate exploitation.

Arshad Jani, 33, of Cousins Drive in Aylesbury, was found guilty of rape and conspiracy to rape. The trial revealed the assaults happened in diverse settings such as cars, vans, flats, and the girls' residences. Girl A, starting at age 12 or 13, endured abuse from around 60 Asian men, conditioned to accept it as commonplace. Both victims provided testimony detailing the manipulation and its devastating effects.

Judge John Bevan QC, sentencing on 24 July 2015, criticised the minimal enticements used, observing that 'for the price of a McDonald's, a milkshake and cinema ticket,' the girls were drawn into the web by local figures in Aylesbury. He pointed to the victims' vulnerability as a key factor, noting cultural deterrents to targeting Asian girls. Jani maintained his innocence against the charges.

Out of 11 defendants tried, six, including Jani, were convicted, spotlighting failures in child protection. Alan Collins, representing Girl B, initiated proceedings against Buckinghamshire County Council for negligence contributing to the victims' ordeal. Girl A spoke of her sense of worthlessness amid ongoing mental health struggles, while Girl B called the sentencing hollow. This BBC-covered case from 2015 illustrates the pervasive threat of organised child sexual exploitation.