Ateeq Latif

Ateeq Latif, a 17-year-old boy from Middlesbrough, was convicted for his part in grooming and sexually exploiting teenage girls, specifically for arranging or facilitating child sex offences. Residing on Abingdon Road, Latif was involved alongside two older men in targeting vulnerable young girls with offers of takeaway food, lifts, and drugs to gain their trust and exploit them sexually. His actions focused on victims aged 14, contributing to the abuse of seven girls in total.

At Teesside Crown Court, following a six-week trial in November 2013, Latif denied the charges but was found guilty of two counts of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence. He was cleared of one additional count. The court detailed how the group, described as 'loosely connected', preyed on the girls, leaving them with considerable ongoing damage, as evidenced by their struggles at school and abusive Facebook messages.

Judge John Walford, in passing sentence, condemned the manipulation of the immature victims, stating it was 'quite clear' they were treated as 'objects for sexual pleasure' and expressing hope that the girls could recover from the 'unpleasantness'. Latif received a three-year sentence in a young offenders' institution, along with a sexual offences prevention order. Outside court, victims' mothers described the enduring torture faced by their daughters, while the Crown Prosecution Service highlighted the victims' courage.

• Guilty of: Two counts of arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence
• Sentence: 3 years in young offenders' institution
• Additional: Sexual offences prevention order

The case, reported by BBC News on 5 December 2013, was investigated by Cleveland Police and prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service, revealing patterns of child sexual exploitation in the Tees region.