Nine men set for CSE trial next year

The defendants appeared before Her Honour Judge Sarah Wright at Sheffield Crown Court this morning.

All the offences are allegedly against girls under the age of 16 and took place in 2003 if not otherwise stated.

Asif Ali (30), of Clough Road, is charged with rape.

Waleed Ali (33), of Canklow Road, is charged with rape and indecent assault.

Ishtiaq Khaliq (32), of Cherry Brook, is charged with rape and two counts of indecent assault between 1999 and 2000.

Masoued Malik (31) of Carlingford Road, Broom, is charged with rape, false imprisonment, and conspiracy to commit indecent assault.

Mohammed Whied (31) of Psalters Lane, Kimberworth, faces two counts of aiding and abetting rape.

Sageer Hussain (30), of Clough Road, Rotherham, has been charged with four counts of rape and one count of indecent assault.

Naeem Rafiq (32) of Clarendon Road, Eastwood, had been charged with conspiracy to indecently assault and conspiracy to falsely imprisonment.

Two of the defendants are also involved in another CSE trial that is due to begin on Monday at the same court.

Arshid Hussain (40) of High Street, East Cowick, Goole, and Basharat Hussain (39) both appeared to face an extra charge of indecent assault.

With the exception of Basharat Hussain, who remains on remand at HMP Doncaster, all the suspects were released on conditional bail but have been ordered to surrender their passports.

They were also ordered not to communicate with witnesses.

The case will next be at Sheffield Crown Court on February 1 when the men will enter their pleas.

A six-week trial is due to begin on September 12 next year.