Girl A told the court ‘there was that many it was hard to keep count’
An alleged ‘sex slave’ of a group of men in Rochdale has told a jury she could have been abused by more than 200 offenders but ‘there was that many it was hard to keep count’.
The complainant, Girl A, says she was targeted in the town from the age of 13, with her phone number swapped by many of her abusers. Eight men are on trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court accused of preying on the vulnerabilities of Girl A and a second complainant, Girl B, also from the age of 13.
It is alleged the girls were plied with drugs, alcohol and cigarettes before they were expected to have sex with the defendants and others whenever and wherever they wanted. Giving evidence on Wednesday, Girl A said she was approached by the police in 2009 when they were investigating child sexual exploitation but declined to assist.
A similar approach was made in the summer of 2015 but she chose not to co-operate again, she said, until she finally decided to engage with police inquiries later that year. Jurors were previously told that Girl A had blamed herself for the sexual activity but said she now realised it was the fault of her abusers and she was “just a kid who knew no different”.
Girl A agreed with Imran Khan, representing Naheem Akram, one of the eight defendants, that she initially told the police in 2015 that “about 100 men” had sexually exploited her. She later provided a list containing 41 names to the police, the court heard.
Mr Khan said: “Is it fair to say that you have been preparing this list since your interaction with the police?”
Girl A said: “Yes.”
Mr Khan said: “Is it fair to say it was difficult to remember names?”
Girl A replied: “There was only one name I was confused with.”
Mr Khan said: “Were you under any sort of pressure to come up with names because you told police you had 100 people?”
“No,” Girl A replied.
Mr Khan said: “Yesterday you said there were probably 200.”
Girl A told the court: “There could have been more to be fair. There was that many it was hard to keep count.”
She denied she used Facebook to help draw up her list of names. Earlier, Girl A said she was not mistaken when picking out another of the defendants, Nisar Hussain, from an identity parade.
The eight defendants – who were market traders or taxi drivers at the time – deny various sexual offences, including rape, indecent assault and conspiracy to commit indecency with a child, said to have been committed between 2001 and 2006.
They are: Mohammed Zahid, 64, of Station Road, Crumpsall, Manchester; Naheem Akram, 48, of Manley, Road, Rochdale; Mohammed Shahzad, 44, of Beswicke Royds Street, Rochdale; Nisar Hussain, 41, of Newfield Close, Rochdale; Roheez Khan, 39, of Athole Street, Rochdale; Arfan Khan, 41, of Grouse Street, Rochdale; Mushtaq Ahmed, 67, of Corona Avenue, Oldham; and Kasir Bashir, 50, of Napier Street East, Oldham.
Proceeding.