SHAKIL CHOWDHURY'S HORRIFIC CRIME IN CHADDERTON AND OLDHAM: CHILD RAPE SHOCK

In September 2007, a deeply disturbing case emerged involving the assault and rape of a young girl in the town of Oldham, with the perpetrator identified as Shakil Chowdhury, a resident of Chadderton. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation from the community and victim support organizations alike.

According to police reports, the victim, a 12-year-old girl, was subjected to a horrifying ordeal after she was lured into a trap by Chowdhury. The girl was walking along Manchester Road in Oldham on the evening of October 27 of the previous year when Chowdhury approached her. He engaged her in conversation, convincing her to get into his vehicle under the pretense of helping her find her way home. Trusting his words, she agreed to accompany him, unaware of the nightmare that awaited her.

Once inside Chowdhury’s residence, the situation rapidly deteriorated. The court heard that he offered her alcohol, which she consumed, and then took her upstairs to his bedroom. There, he ordered her to lie on the bed and proceeded to rape her repeatedly. The assault was not a one-time event; Chowdhury raped the girl multiple times throughout the night, a total of eleven times, using different beds within his house. During the ordeal, he forced her to clean herself between attacks, further adding to her trauma.

Adding to the horror, Chowdhury was not alone in his heinous acts. After the initial assault, he left the room, only to be replaced by a second man who also raped the young girl. Subsequently, two other men were invited into the act, bringing the total number of perpetrators involved in the abuse to four. The victim was subjected to this brutal treatment by all four men, who took turns over the course of the evening.

Following the assault, Chowdhury drove the girl back to her home. Before leaving, he asked her for her phone number, indicating a disturbing level of manipulation and predatory behavior. The girl, showing remarkable bravery, reported the incident to the police and provided officers with Chowdhury’s address. Acting swiftly, law enforcement raided his residence in Chadderton, Oldham, and arrested him on suspicion of the crimes committed.

Det Chief Insp Mary Doyle expressed her outrage over the case, emphasizing the severity of the crime. She stated, “This child was subjected to a terrifying and prolonged attack from Chowdhury and his associates. One of the first things she told him was her name and age, so there is no doubt that he was aware how young she was. Chowdhury’s actions that evening would have been unacceptable on a woman of any age, but to carry out this sort of attack on a 12-year-old child is simply abhorrent.”

The court proceedings resulted in Chowdhury being sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to six counts of rape. However, it was later revealed that he was released in 2010 after serving just three years of his sentence, a decision that has sparked further outrage among the public and victim support groups.

Norman Brennan, director of the Victims of Support Trust, voiced his strong disapproval, stating, “This sentence is almost as disgusting as the crime itself. Gang rape is the most despicable and appalling crime. Judges surely have a duty of care to punish people guilty of such crimes, and send out a serious message to others who might contemplate such action. In my opinion, this has done neither.”

Det Chief Insp Doyle also highlighted the bravery of the young victim, praising her for her courage in coming forward and pursuing justice despite the trauma she endured. The case remains a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and swift action in protecting vulnerable members of society from predatory individuals like Chowdhury.