Saturday, May 11, 2013

Seven men who ran child prostitution ring whose victims were as young as 13 are jailed for up to 18 years each

Seven members of a child prostitution ring, guilty of exploiting girls as young as 13, have been jailed.
The convictions include brothers Ahdel and Mubarek Ali, who ‘systematically groomed’ several teenage victims in Telford, Shropshire, alongside five others.
Mubarek, 29, and younger brother Ahdel, 24, have been jailed for 32 years for grooming teenage girls, before ‘pimping them out to workers at a curry house for £150 sex sessions’.
Mubarek
Ahdel
Jailed: Mubarek Ali, 29, left, and Ahdel Ali, 24, right, have been jailed for 14 and 18 years respectively for pimping out teenage girls to curry house workers for £150 sex sessions
As the major police operation came to a close today, police praised the victims, aged 13 to 16, for giving evidence at a series of court hearings, including an original trial which collapsed at Stafford Crown Court in September 2011.
During the Ali brothers’ trial, Stafford Crown Court heard the pair groomed two girls, aged 15 and 16,for sex before persuading them to work as prostitutes for them in 2008.
The pair, both of Wellington, Telford, were found guilty a total of 24 offences, including controlling child prostitution, people trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Ahdel Ali, was sentenced to 18 years in prison, while his older brother was given a 14-year jail term at Worcester Crown Court last October.
Five other men from the Telford area pleaded guilty to charges they faced prior to the start of their trials and were jailed for between two-and-a-half and seven years.
The Ali brother's sentencing at Worcester Crown Court were only part of a large criminal operation carried out by West Mercia Police to break up the child prostitution ring which saw five other men convicted
Police work: The Ali brother's sentencing at Worcester Crown Court were only part of a large criminal operation carried out by West Mercia Police to break up the child prostitution ring which saw five other men convicted
The convictions of the seven men at separate hearings have previously been reported separately, but could not be officially linked together until today’s final court hearing.
'Operation Chalice' has been one of the largest investigations in West Mercia Police history, with a team of up to 50 officers working on the inquiry to bring the men to justice.
Speaking after today's final court hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Neil Jamieson said the teenage victims were targeted because of their vulnerability.
Mr Jamieson said: ‘We are pleased with the convictions we have achieved as a result of this operation - an operation that is among the most complex West Mercia Police has ever undertaken.
‘After years of being exploited the girls then went through a huge amount during the course of this investigation, and the trials themselves were then a real ordeal for those that gave evidence.’
The officer added: ‘I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the strength and character shown by all of the victims who came and gave evidence and also thank their families for the support they have shown during what has been a truly horrible time.
‘It has been very challenging for these young women to come forward and give their evidence and I hope that these convictions will go some way to help them move on with their future lives.’
DAILYMAIL

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