SHAPOUL ALI FROM MANNINGHAM JAILED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN BRADFORD

In July 2016, a man from Manningham, Bradford, was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of a series of sexual offenses involving a teenage girl. Shapoul Ali, aged 33 and residing on Marlborough Road in Manningham, was found guilty in Bradford Crown Court of engaging in four separate acts of sexual activity with a minor.

According to court proceedings, Ali initially approached the 15-year-old girl on the street while she was dressed in her school prom attire. During this encounter, he falsely claimed to be her age, using deception to flatter and manipulate her into trusting him. Over time, Ali groomed the girl, gradually drawing her into a relationship that would have serious legal and moral implications.

The court heard that Ali’s misconduct included engaging in oral sex with the girl inside his car. The relationship escalated after her 16th birthday, at which point they engaged in full sexual activity. Throughout the trial, prosecutor Jayne Beckett described Ali’s actions as a calculated “campaign” of abuse, emphasizing the manipulative nature of his conduct. She pointed out that Ali’s grooming began with flattery and continued until he had the girl under his control.

During a statement read aloud in court, the teenage victim revealed that she had never experienced a romantic relationship before meeting Ali. She described how he had used her, manipulated her feelings, and turned her against her friends. The girl also recounted how Ali kept her out late when she was attending college, further exerting control over her life. She expressed her feelings of betrayal, stating, “He thought he could do as he pleased with my body.”

Mrs. Beckett highlighted the significant age gap between Ali and his victim, noting the element of grooming involved in the case. She explained that Ali’s initial approach involved flattery, which then progressed into a more sinister pattern of exploitation once he had gained her trust.

Ali’s defense lawyer, Mark Brookes, pointed out that his client had no prior criminal record. Brookes also mentioned that Ali was married with a young child and had studied accountancy and bookkeeping. Despite these mitigating factors, Judge David Hatton QC ordered Ali to register as a sex offender for life and imposed an indefinite restraining order to prevent him from contacting or approaching the victim in any manner.

The judge emphasized that Ali was aware of the girl’s age throughout the period of his offending, noting that she was close to her 16th birthday and that the sexual activities were consensual. However, he underscored the importance of protecting young girls from older men and from exploitation, stating, “The legislation is there to protect young girls from older men and to protect them from themselves – to stop them being taken advantage of.”