A vicious rapist who attacked three girls at a Rochdale house has been jailed for 14 years. Shofik Ali drove his victims to the house in December 2010 before taking their mobile phones and raping them, Bolton Crown Court heard.

He raped one of the girls after she began screaming and crying as he had pushed her towards a bedroom. Later he forced himself on another girl and raped her before having sex with a third girl against her will. Ali, 22, of Wells Street, Haslingden, Rossendale then made the first girl have sex with him again after threatening to burn down the house if she refused.

Following the attacks the girls reported Ali to police and he was arrested. Ali denied four charges of rape and one other sexual assault. He was convicted of the four rapes and found not guilty of the other charge at Bolton Crown Court on Tuesday following a trial. Ali was jailed for 14 years and was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.

The court heard on the day of the attacks an argument broke out at the house and Ali began smashing up furniture. Police were called and took him to Rochdale bus station so he could travel home to Haslingden. But instead Ali went back to the same house and snatched mobile phones from the three girls, before attacking them. Following the hearing councillor David Stansfield, from Ali’s home town of Haslingden said: “If I had sat on the bench I would have given him 20 years. He’s worse than an animal. “He has been taken off the streets of Haslingden and off the streets altogether.

Source

A Muslim man who raped women to ‘teach them a lesson’ for being on the streets at night was jailed indefinitely today because of the danger he poses to women.

Sunny Islam, 23, who comes from a strict Muslim family, dragged his terrified victims – including a 15-year-old – from the street at knifepoint, bound and assaulted them during a two-month reign of terror.

Police fear that Islam may have attacked many more.

Three of the assaults took place close to his home in Barking, east London, while a fourth occurred in nearby Forest Gate.

Judge Patricia Lees, sentencing him to a minimum of 11 years, said: ‘The harm you have done to your victims is incalculable.

‘The nature and extent of these offences drives me to the conclusion that you represent an extreme and continuing danger to women, particularly those out at night.’

He was traced through the number plate of his girlfriend’s car after he kidnapped and raped the 15-year-old in September 2010.

He grabbed her from behind as she walked home with a friend and bundled her into the car at knifepoint before driving to a secluded spot where he raped her twice despite her claiming she was only 11 years old.

Full Story and Source

The 36-year-old victim was cycling through Witton Park when he was pushed to the ground and attacked by the gang.

The man, who has learning difficulties and has been described as vulnerable, was stopped by the youths as he tried to cross a footbridge at around 5.20pm on Sunday.

Police said the group of between six and nine Asian youths dragged the victim from his bike by his jacket before punching and kicking him while he was on the ground in the Preston Old Road park.

The attackers, who are all thought to be under 18, then stole his £300 red and black Apollo ‘Phaze’ gentleman’s mountain bike with white writing on it.

Detective Sergeant Rob Anderson from Blackburn CID urged people to be vigilant while walking through the park.

He said: “It is always a concern for us when people are victimised in public parks and this man has been left extremely upset and shaken by this incident.

“But we would like to reassure the public that there is hardly any crime in Witton Park and we will ensure that we work hard to ensure that no patterns develop in the area.

“Although there is no need for the public to be afraid, we would urge them to be extra vigilant whilst walking through the park with valuable items in their possession.”

Anyone with information should call Blackburn police on 08451 25 3545 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 55

Source

Nineteen-year-old friends were walking along Colne Road, between Hurtley Street and New Hall Street, when they were confronted by a gang of Asian youths and subjected to racist abuse.

The friends, both white, were challenged to a fight but were clearly outnumbered, according to police.

One of them was pushed into the road and subjected to kicks and punches.

Police said he was left with chest and rib injuries.

His friend was then pursued by some of the youths, towards Barden Lane, and was also attacked, resulting in him sustaining facial injuries.

Detective Constable Tim Maddox, of Pennine police division’s hate crimes unit, has just issued an appeal for witnesses to the violence, which is thought to have occurred between around 2.30pm and 3pm on Sunday.

“There is believed to have been a bus passing, around that time, and there may have been traffic backed up as a result of the incident,” he added.

The attacks took place close to an area of cleared terrace housing, which also housed the former Derby Arms pub.

Police say the larger group contained between 10 and 15 Asian youths, believed to be in their late teens.

The victims were allowed home after hospital treatment.

People with any information on those responsible for the attack are asked to call the unit on 01282 472282.

Alternatively call Crimestoppers, free and annonymously, on 0800 555111.

Source

Tom Carnegie, 74, was attacked by four or five men in Belgrave, Leicester, on Good Friday as he walked home from visiting his son.

Recovering at home yesterday, the retired hosiery worker and merchant seaman said: “I don’t know why they did it. This is not the world I grew up in.

“It was a lovely evening and I’d been to see my son and his girlfriend.

“I left them, as I always do, at about 11pm. Everything seemed fine.

“On the way home, I saw this group and just assumed they were locals. They asked me for a cigarette and I said, ‘of course’, because I’m a bit of a softie.

“I don’t really remember what happened next, but they just started hitting me.

“I tried to cover my face and head with my arms, but they got some blows in. I’ve got bruises all over.

“While I was down they went into my pocket and took my cigarette case and my wallet.

“I had £40 or £50 in it because I’d got my pension the day before.”

Police have branded the attack, in Payne Street, off Checketts Road, as “callous”.

They have urged the public to help them catch the gang.

“Hopefully, they will be caught before they do this to someone else,” said Mr Carnegie, a Londoner who moved to Leicester about 20 years ago.

“I will get over this,” he said. “I’ve got a good family around me and a lot of good friends. The wounds are healing, although I’m still a bit stiff.“

An elderly Asian couple found Mr Carnegie in the street and helped him home.

Officers want to trace them as they believe they may be able to help identify his attackers.

John Boyce, of Age Concern in Leicester, said: “While crimes like this are rare, if they become more common we would be diminished as a society. The biggest concern in cases like this is that the victim can lose all confidence and ability to go out again.“

The attackers were Asian, aged about 20 and all about 5ft 10in. They were all wearing black.

Detective Constable Sarah Poppleton said: “This was a nasty attack on an elderly man who was minding his own business. The people who have committed this callous crime need to be caught and we would appeal to the public to help us identify those responsible.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Det Con Poppleton on 0116 222 2222, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

Source

Five teenagers have been found guilty of their part in the incident in which a father-of-two was punched to the ground.

The five were part of a group of youths who were taken to on the trip on July 17 last year, the day of an English Defence League march in Dudley in the West Midlands.

The day-trip cost the public purse £2,113 and saw the group from the Tipton and Oldbury areas of the West Midands accompanied by a police officer and officials from the council.

The clash happened after the youths got off their coach and began chanting racist comments at Derek Brownhill, who had just got off a coach parked nearby.

The chants were heard by Mr Brownhill’s pregnant partner and two young daughters, as well as a group of elderly people, the court was told

In the ensuing confrontation Mr Brownhill was punched and hit with such force by Riad Hussain, 19, that both feet left the ground.

Wolverhampton Crown Court was told the blows left unconscious and with bruising and swelling to his face and head.

The group then punched Hussain, from Oldbury, in the face to give him a bruise so they could try to claim that his actions were in self defence.

Prosecutor David Swinnerton told the court that the teenagers – Hussain, Wasim Telhat, 18, Raja Rashid, 18, and two 17-year-olds – were part of a large group of Asian youths taken to Blackpool by coach on July 17 last year to avoid potential trouble.

At the time of the violence, two of the gang were on bail for a hammer attack in Tipton, West Midlands, that took place three months before the Blackpool incident.

Read More at Source.

Shiraz Arzal, 24, of Mansfield Crescent, Brierfield, Nelson is charged with causing or inciting a girl aged between 13 and 15 to engage in sexual activity.

Mohammed Imran Amjad, 24, of Halifax Road, Brierfield, Nelson, is charged with arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence and child abduction.

Omar Mazafer, 20, of Halifax Road, Brierfield, Nelson is charged with two counts of Section 39 common assault.

All three men have been remanded into custody to appear at Burnley Magistrates’ Court on 11th March 11.

The charges follow an on-going investigation by detectives from the Freedom Team which aims to tackle child sexual exploitation in Pennine Division.

Source

The impersonator is still at large, but Kayfee Hameed, Sami Hamadok, Agar Hamid and Ahmed Omar are behind bars.

Hameed and Hamadok, from Middlesbrough, were jailed for six months, while Omar. Hamid, the youngest, was jailed for four months.

Judge Peter Bowers said at Teesside Crown Court: “It is suspected that far more of this impersonation goes on than is detected.

“A deterrent sentence is essential.

You all have considerable mitigation, but it is important that others learn not to commit this sort of offence.

“Impersonating someone taking a driving test is serious. It allows you to drive on the roads without an adequate knowledge of road safety.”

Defence barristers told Judge Bowers that the four men did not realise they were committing a serious offence at the time, but do now.

The court heard that Hamadok paid the man to stand in for him during tests in Middlesbrough and in Doncaster in September 2009.

The Teesside attempt was thwarted by an official who noticed differences between the candidate’s and Hamadok’s documents.

Paul Cleasby, prosecuting, said that the impostor passed the test in Doncaster, which allowed Hamadok to sit his driving test, but he failed.

The court heard that the 36- year-old’s credit card was used to book theory tests in the names of Hameed, 35, and Hamid, 20.

The same impersonator passed the exam in Harrogate for Hamid and in Grimsby, for Omar, 30, without any suspicions being raised.

When he tried the same for Hameed in Middlesbrough, the same official challenged him because his description did not match Hameed’s.

Robin Turton, for Hamadok, of Percy Street, Middlesbrough, said he made unprompted admissions to police and helped as much as he could.

Brian Mark, for former factory worker Hameed, of Meath Street, Middlesbrough, said he was desperate to be able to drive.

Rachel Dyson said Omar, of Eaton Close, Bristol, struggled to find work in the UK and thought it would be easier if he had a driving licence.

Elyas Patel, for Hamid, a part-time restaurant cashier, of Spalding Towers, Leeds, said he was deeply ashamed of what he had done.

He said he committed the offence out of a wish to contribute to society, but had been lulled into the lair of an unscrupulous individual.

The court heard that the four men, who admitted conspiracy to commit fraud, paid £400 to £500 to the impersonator.

A spokesman for the Driving Standards Agency said: “Driving test impersonation is a serious offence, which puts law abiding road-users at risk.

“We investigate all suspected incidents and work closely with the police to make sure that those responsible are brought to justice.”

Source

Akmol Hussein, 26, Sheikh Rashid, 27, Azad Hussain, 25, and Simon Alam, 19, attacked Gary Smith with a Stanley knife, an iron rod and a block of cement.

Mr Smith, who is head of religious education at Central Foundation Girls’ School in Bow, east London, also suffered a fractured skull.

The four now face a jail sentence.

Detectives made secret recordings of the gang’s plot to attack Mr Smith prior to the brutal assault.

The covert audio probe captured the gang condemning Mr Smith for ‘teaching other religions to our sisters’, the court heard.

The RE teacher was targeted as he made his way on foot along Burdett Road in nearby Mile End on July 12 last year, Snaresbrook Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Sarah Whitehouse told the court: ‘The evidence from what was said on the probe points overwhelmingly to a religious motive for this attack.’

It is believed the gang had made two earlier attempts to get at the teacher.

They were due to stand trial for the attack at Snaresbrook Crown Court but pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Read more:

The 13-year-old boy was walking home from Blessed Trinity RC College at 3-45 p.m. on Tuesday, January 11th, when he was jumped by a gang of Asian youths. He was pushed to the ground in Queen Victoria Road, near Thompson and Queen’s Parks, and was repeatedly punched in the face and body.

He was left with severe swelling to his eyes and nose, badly bruised ribs and injuries to his legs.

Anybody with any information is urged to contact Burnley police on 01282 425001 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Source