ROCHDALE PAEDOPHILE RING AND FIVE MEN JAILED IN ROCHDALE AND HEYWOOD

In a significant development in the ongoing fight against child sexual exploitation in Rochdale, four men from the town have had their appeals against their sentences for serious sex offences dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The case involves a disturbing series of crimes committed against a 15-year-old girl who was in care at the time of the offences.

Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas presided over the hearing at Manchester Crown Court, where he rejected the applications from Freddy Kendakumana, Roheez Khan, and Chola Chansa to have their prison terms reduced. Additionally, Abdul Huk’s appeal against both his conviction and his four-year sentence was also dismissed. The offences in question took place during 2008 and 2009, involving the victim being supplied with vodka and drugs in exchange for sexual acts.

Kendakumana, aged 27, Chansa, aged 33, Khan, aged 27, and Huk, aged 37, had all been sentenced in December of the previous year at Manchester Crown Court. A fifth man, Mohammed Rafiq Abubaker, was also convicted of sexual activity with a child and received a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence; he chose not to appeal his conviction or sentence.

The court heard that the offences spanned over two years, with the victims and perpetrators often crossing paths in Rochdale. The four men’s appeals argued that their sentences, which ranged from four to eight and a half years, were excessively harsh given the circumstances. However, Lord Thomas emphasized that the original sentences were appropriate, citing the serious nature of the exploitation involved.

He stated, “It is a serious aggravating factor that she was exploited as a vulnerable person. And the judge was right to make clear that the courts must take every step open to them to protect vulnerable young girls from exploitation of this kind in whatever part of the country they live.” This statement underscores the judiciary’s recognition of the importance of safeguarding vulnerable minors from predatory behavior.

Historically, Rochdale has been associated with multiple cases of child sexual exploitation. In 2012, nine men involved in a child sexual exploitation ring operating in the Heywood area of Rochdale were sentenced to prison. On the same day, a report was published highlighting a “shocking” failure to adequately protect seven vulnerable girls from similar exploitation within the town.

In a separate but related case from December 2013, five men were sentenced to a combined total of 26 and a half years for the rape of a 15-year-old girl. The victim, now 20, recounted how her abusers had supplied her with alcohol and cannabis before assaulting her during 2008 and 2009. The Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard that Kendakumana, then 27, from Illminster, Rochdale, had raped her, although charges were only brought against him in October 2012.

Other defendants included Roheez Khan, born on December 20, 1985, of Prince Street, Rochdale, who received a six-and-a-half-year sentence after being found guilty of sexual activity with a minor and witness intimidation. Chola Chansa, born on December 25, 1979, of Illminster, Rochdale, was sentenced to five years after pleading guilty to similar charges. Abdul Huk, born on May 28, 1976, of Ouldfield Close, Rochdale, received four years for his involvement. Mohammed Rafiq Abubaker, born December 24, 1980, of Allington, Freehold, Rochdale, was sentenced to two and a half years. All five men were ordered to register as sex offenders for life.

It is noteworthy that these individuals come from diverse national backgrounds, with Kendakumana and Chansa identified as Congolese, Abubaker as Kurdish, and Huk and Khan believed to be of Pakistani descent. The victim’s interactions with these men spanned her teenage years, beginning in 2008 when she entered into brief relationships with older men she knew or was introduced to.

Police records show that the girl initially reported Kendakumana’s abuse in 2008. During an interview, she was advised not to have further dealings with him, yet she later admitted to seeing him at a flat. She also engaged in consensual sex with one of Kendakumana’s friends, despite knowing she was underage. Kendakumana was arrested and charged in 2012 after an earlier investigation was dropped.

Throughout this period, the girl underwent numerous police interviews totaling 23 hours, conducted between late 2008 and October 2011. She later provided evidence during the trials of the five men earlier this year. Detective Chief Inspector Jamie Daniels commented on the case, stating, “Over the course of two years these five men took advantage of this girl for their own sexual gratification. Each of the men preyed on the fact she was an extremely vulnerable and impressionable teenager.”

He further explained that the men groomed her by offering alcohol and drugs, exploiting her desire for attention and affection, which she lacked in her home environment. The detective highlighted that the girl believed the men’s actions were acts of kindness or genuine relationships, illustrating the insidious nature of grooming. She returned repeatedly to these older men, including those convicted, who sexually exploited and, in some cases, physically abused her.

Despite her bravery in reliving her traumatic experiences during two lengthy trials, four of the accused denied guilt and forced her to confront her past repeatedly. Detective Daniels expressed hope that the victim could now begin to move forward, acknowledging her strength and resilience.

The sentencing coincided with the publication of a report by the Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Children’s Board, which revealed a “shocking” failure to protect seven vulnerable girls from sexual exploitation. The case was reopened after Greater Manchester Police’s sexual crime unit identified shortcomings in the initial investigation, leading to Operation Span, a renewed effort to address allegations from other underage girls in Rochdale. This case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in safeguarding children from exploitation and the importance of persistent investigation and justice.