Assad Hussain

Assad Hussain, aged 37 from Iffley Road, Oxford, was convicted at Oxford Crown Court as part of a gang of seven men responsible for the grooming and sexual abuse of five teenage girls on a massive scale. The offences, which included rape and indecent assault, occurred between 1998 and 2005, targeting vulnerable girls aged 13 to 15 who had troubled home lives.

Prosecutor Oliver Saxby QC described the gang's actions as 'routine, cynical and predatory sexual exploitation', where the perpetrators offered the victims company, attention, food, parties, alcohol, and drugs as part of a calculated grooming process. The girls were coerced into sexual acts at parties, in cars, parks, and even a bed and breakfast on Iffley Road, often under threats and violence, with other men present. One victim recounted being forced to have sex with multiple older men referred to as 'uncles' by the defendants, stating she had lost count of the encounters and would scrub herself in the shower afterwards.

Hussain was specifically found guilty of five counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault, though not guilty on one count of indecent assault. Detective Chief Inspector Mark Glover of Thames Valley Police praised the victims' 'incredible bravery' in coming forward, noting the 'almost unimaginable level of cruelty and sexual abuse' they endured over several years. The convictions followed a lengthy investigation, with reporting restrictions lifted to allow public disclosure. Sentencing for Hussain and his co-defendants was scheduled for June 2018.

• Guilty of five counts of rape
• Guilty of two counts of indecent assault
• Not guilty of one count of indecent assault

Source: BBC News, based on proceedings at Oxford Crown Court and statements from Thames Valley Police.