Telford man found guilty of two rapes
A convicted paedophile serving a seven-year jail term for being part of a gang which groomed and sexually abused a number of schoolgirls in Shropshire has been found guilty of raping another teenager.
Mohammed Ali Sultan embarked on a campaign of "pressure and intimidation" to bully the "naive" girl, who was 18 at the time of the attacks in Telford in 2007, into having sex with him.
Sultan, of Victoria Avenue, Wellington, Telford, was convicted by majority verdict of two charges of rape and one count of attempted rape at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday.
He is already serving a prison term for having illegal sex with two other girls, one who was 13, in 2008 and 2009.
He was one of seven men jailed as a result of Operation Chalice, a police investigation into child sexual grooming by Asian men in Telford.
As part of the same operation, Sultan also pleaded guilty to a third charge of controlling the prostitution of a child by taking a third teenager to have sex with workers at a fish and chip shop.
The 28-year-old denied the latest charges against him, which came about after the victim – who cannot be named for legal reasons – went to police in June 2010. She was interviewed again in November 2012.
Judge Peter Barrie adjourned the case after Sultan's latest conviction for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on him to determine his "level of dangerousness to young women".
Sultan was remanded in custody and will appear back in court, most likely at Shrewsbury Crown Court, on a date to be fixed to be sentenced.
DCI Neil Jamieson said: "This has been a traumatic process for the victim and I'd like to praise her bravery in coming forward to report offences and ensuring Sultan has been brought to justice. This further demonstrates the increased confidence people have in coming forward to report such offences in the knowledge that they will be thoroughly investigated and support will be put in place."
West Mercia Police have urged anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse, or is worried about someone they know being abused,to call officers on 101.
Alternatively, the independent charit, Crimestoppers, can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org
You can also contact the Glade which offers a service to men, women and children who have experienced rape or sexual assault in the Shropshire, Telford, Herefordshire and Worcestershire areas. Its 24-hour self-referral number is 0808 178 2058.
