Three child sexual abusers who raped a vulnerable teenager over several years in the 1990s have had their sentences extended after intervention by the solicitor general.
Ibrar Hussain, 47, and brothers Imtiaz, 64, and Fayaz Ahmed, 45, had their sentences increased after Lucy Rigby referred the case to the court of appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme.
A court heard that the victim, who has not been named, moved to Keighley, West Yorkshire in the early 1990s when she was a vulnerable teenager, where she met the three men. She was supplied with money, drugs and alcohol in return for sex.
She was taken to various places where she was raped over several years, including by Hussain and the Ahmed brothers. Many of the offences took place in the flats above the brothers’ family’s grocery shop.
Hussain and Fayaz Ahmed were 18 and 17 respectively when they carried out their offences, while Imtiaz Ahmed was in his 30s.
In an impact statement read to the court, the victim said that almost 30 years after the abuse, she still suffered flashbacks and the trauma left her unable to trust people, including the services there to protect her.
Rigby said: “This case involved the shocking and hideous abuse of a vulnerable teenager by these three sexual predators. I referred these sentences to court of appeal because in my view they were unduly lenient.
“I attended court today for the hearing and I very much welcome the court of appeal’s significant increases to these sentences.”
The trio were convicted in January. Ibrar Hussain was initially sentenced to six years and six months – this was increased to 10 years on Tuesday.
Imtiaz Ahmed was initially sentenced to nine years, which was increased to 11, and Fayaz Ahmed had his sentence extended from seven years and six months to 10 years.
Source: theguardian.com
