YASSER RASOOL AND NICOLA MARTIN SHOCK BURTON WITH CHILD SEX OFFENSES IN HORNINGLOW AND WILLINGTON

In a disturbing case that has rocked the Burton community, a married taxi driver named Yasser Rasool, aged 25 and residing on Branston Road, was sentenced to two years in prison for engaging in sexual activities with a 13-year-old girl. The heinous acts took place in various locations, including a pre-arranged hotel stay in Willington, where Rasool and his accomplice attempted to lure the young girl into sexual acts.

According to court proceedings, Rasool and a fellow cab driver, Mohammed Sahir, aged 24 and from South Oak Street in Burton, took the girl to the Etap Hotel situated on Etwall Road. Staff at the hotel, noticing suspicious behavior and Rasool’s inappropriate advances, contacted the police, leading to their swift arrest the following day.

Further investigation uncovered that Rasool and the girl had engaged in sexual encounters multiple times at the home of Nicola Martin, a 33-year-old woman living on Stafford Street in Horninglow. Rasool admitted to three separate charges of sexual activity with a minor, committed between January and May of the previous year.

Nicola Martin, who also pleaded guilty, was found to have facilitated or arranged the child sex offenses during the same period. She was sentenced to 16 months in prison.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Sahir admitted to a single offense committed on April 30 last year, when he and Rasool took the girl to the hotel. Sahir was subsequently sentenced to eight months in prison.

All three individuals have been placed on the sex offenders’ register, reflecting the severity of their crimes and the community’s concern for public safety.

Earlier, in November 2012, the same trio faced charges related to ‘organized’ child abuse at a Burton residence. Rasool, Martin, and Sahir appeared at Stafford Crown Court, where they admitted their roles in the sexual exploitation of the young girl. Rasool, specifically, admitted to three counts of sexual activity with a child, involving acts performed between January 1 and May 1 of the previous year.

Nicola Martin, from Craven Street in Horninglow, pleaded guilty to facilitating or arranging child sex offenses at her home during the same timeframe. Sahir, also aged 24, admitted to a similar charge involving the girl on April 30.

During the hearing, Judge Simon Tonking emphasized the seriousness of the offenses, stating, “The fact I am adjourning for reports and bailing you is not an indication as to the likely sentence. These are serious offences for which custody may well follow.”

Legal representatives highlighted Rasool’s lack of prior convictions, but the judge made it clear that the gravity of the crimes could lead to imprisonment. The defendants were granted bail pending pre-sentence reports.

It was also revealed during a previous hearing at Burton Magistrates’ Court that Nicola Martin was alleged to have allowed her property to be used for the sexual assaults. The police investigation, which began with Rasool’s initial denial and subsequent guilty plea, uncovered extensive evidence of the abuse.

Tracey Hardie, manager of the Burton-based Sexual Abuse and Rape Advice Centre (SARAC), expressed relief that the young victim would not have to endure the trauma of testifying in court. She commented, “Unsettling as it is to discover young people are victims of organized sexual offences and that it’s happening in our local community, it feels even more so when a female is involved.”

Hardie also noted an increase in calls to their helpline, partly due to heightened awareness following the Jimmy Savile investigation. She urged anyone affected by sexual abuse to seek support by calling 01283 517185, emphasizing the importance of community vigilance and support for victims.