Rotherham child sex abuse trial could be moved

THE trial of eight suspects charged with more than 100 child sex abuse offences allegedly committed in Rotherham may not be held in South Yorkshire.

Sheffield Crown Court was told on Monday that lawyers for defendant Arshid Hussain are planning to make an application for the case against him to be held elsewhere as they felt he could not get a fair trial on Rotherham’s doorstep.

Hussain (pictured), who is said to be suffering from health problems, did not appear at court to answer the charges against him for medical reasons.

The court was told the case against Hussain involved more than 30 witnesses and that the trial is expected to take between six and seven weeks.

Hussain is faces 48 allegations, including assault, rape, indecent assault, conspiracy to commit rape and unlawful imprisonment, unlawful sexual intercourse, causing a child to be removed from their parent and procuring a female to have sexual intercourse between 1990 and 2001.

Karen MacGregor (58), founder of the Swinton-based Kinkids charity, of Barnsley Road, Wath, is charged with conspiracy to rape, conspiring to procure a child to become a common prostitute and unlawful imprisonment.

Basharat Hussain (38), of no fixed address, is accused of 15 offences including gross indecency towards a child, inciting a child to commit gross indecency, procuring a female for sex, indecent assault, rape, false imprisonment and procuring a female to be a prostitute in Rotherham between 1996 and 2001.

Bannaras Hussain, of Bridge Close in Goole, faces allegations of rape, aiding and abetting rape, indecent assaults, assaults and procuring a woman for prostitution between 1996 and 2000.

Qurban Ali (52), of Clough Road, Rotherham, faces four charges including conspiracy to rape, indecent assault, rape and procuring a woman under 21 for sexual intercourse.

Majid Bostan (37), of Ledsham Road, Broom, has been charged with indecently assaulting a girl aged under 16 in Rotherham between 1993 and 1995.

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

Sajid Bostan (38), for whom two addresses - Sherwood Crescent, Rotherham, and Broom Avenue, Broom - were given to Magistrates' Court, faces 11 charges including rape, indecent assault and attempted rape between 1990 and 2001.

Bannaras Hussain and Basharat Hussain were remanded in custody while their co-defendants were released on conditional bail.