Abuse trial told rapes took place at pub and defendant's house

THE seven defendants in the trial which began at Sheffield Crown Court this morning face a total of 63 charges, including claims girls were raped in a Masbrough pub and at one defendant's house.

The offences are alleged to have taken place mainly in Rotherham, but also span Sheffield, York, London and Blackpool between 1987 and 2003.

The defendants are:

Arshid Hussain (40), of East Cowick in Goole, who faces 29 allegations including rape, assault, indecent assault, conspiracy to rape and aiding and abetting rape.

Karen MacGregor (58), of Wath, who is charged with two counts of conspiracy to rape, conspiring to procure a child to become a common prostitute and false imprisonment.

Basharat Hussain (38), who is on remand, is accused of 15 offences including indecency with a child, procuring a female for sex, indecent assault, rape, false imprisonment and threats to kill.

Sajid Bostan (38), of Broom Avenue, Broom, who faces seven charges including rape, indecent assault and aiding and abetting rape

Qurban Ali (53), of Clough Road, Rotherham, who faces four charges of conspiracy to rape, indecent assault, rape, and procuring a woman under 21 for sexual intercourse.

Shelley Davies (40), of Wainwright Road, Kimberworth Park, who is charged with conspiracy to procure a woman to become a common prostitute, conspiracy to rape and false imprisonment.

Majid Bostan (37), of Ledsham Road, Broom, who has been charged with indecently assaulting a girl under 16 in Rotherham.

The earliest offence is said to have taken place at MacGregor's house between 1987 and 1989 where she conspired together with an unknown person to rape a girl.

Three charges Arshid and Sajid face allegedly took place at the Prince of Wales pub, where one woman claims she was raped by Sajid twice and Arshid once when she was under 16.

MacGregor and Davies face a joint charge of conspiracy to procure a woman under 21 to become a common prostitute between 1993 and 1995 - the complainant claims she was forced to have sex at MacGregor's house.

The female defendants are also jointly charged with false imprisonment between the same time period when the complainant says she was forced to remain at MacGregor's home and was raped.

The prosecution say Qurban Ali was known as Blind Ash and one girl claims he forced her to carry out oral sex on her.

It is also claimed Basharat trafficked one girl aged under 21 to Blackpool to have sex with other men, while he and Arshid trafficked another two girls to Sheffield.

One of the girls claims Basharat tied her up at the flat.

One of the abduction charges Arshid faces relates to a girl who was in foster care and knew him as Mad Ash.

The charge against Majid allegedly took place at Clifton Park, where it is claimed he forced oral sex upon a girl.

The trial continues.