Gang behind bars for rape attack on Shropshire girls

Five men involved in raping and sexually assaulting two Shropshire teenagers have been jailed for more than 38 years.

The two Telford victims, aged 15 and 16, were abducted and lured to a dingy Birmingham flat where ringleaders Amar Hussain and Shamrez Rashid repeatedly attacked them, Birmingham Crown Court heard.

Both girls were victims of a series of sex attacks after being plied with alcohol during the 36-hour ordeal in November 2009.

Yesterday, at the end of a four-week trial, Rashid, 20, was given 11 years in a Young Offenders Institution for rape and four concurrent sentences for another rape, abduction of a child, attempted rape and an attempted sexual assault.

Hussain, 21, was jailed for 10 years for three rape offences, involving both victims, and a concurrent sentence for the abduction of a child.

The court was told that after attacking the girls, Rashid and Hussain 'in effect offered them up to their friends'.

Rashid grinned and laughed in the dock during the hearing and his supporters hurled abuse at the judge as he passed sentence.

Jahbar Rafiq, 28, received eight years for rape and sexual assault and Adil Saleem, 21, was also jailed for eight years for rape.

Amer Choudhrey, 20, was given 15 months at a Young Offenders Institution for the abduction of a child and one offence of sexual assault.

Judge Melbourne Inman QC said the defendants had all abused the girls.

He told Hussain and Rashid they had played a leading role in the abuse.

"You brought the girls all the way from Telford because you knew you could abuse them and they would consent to anything with anyone and you said they were 'slags'.

"They were extremely vulnerable and you took advantage of them and told others the girls were available," he said.

The five men, all from the Birmingham area, denied all the charges.

On the direction of the judge, the jury cleared Hussain on one count of sexual assault, and Rafiq and Saleem of abduction.

By Arthur Mills