Telford child sex case jury sworn-in

A JURY HAS been sworn in for the trial of nine Telford men alleged to have been involved in the sexual exploitation of teenage girls and child prostitution.

In total the defendants deny a series of 57 charges, which include two allegations of rape, sexual activity with a child, sexual grooming and controlling and inciting child prostitution.

Two of the men - brothers from the Wellington area - face five allegations of trafficking within Britain for sexual exploitation, a new charge under the Sexual Offences Act, which was introduced in 2003.

Seven teenage girls - who cannot be named for legal reasons - are the alleged victims and were aged between 13 and 17 at the time of the offences, which are all said to have been committed on various dates between September 2007 and December 2009.

At Stafford Crown Court today Judge Robin Onions sent the jury of seven women and five men away while lawyers in the case are involved in legal arguments. The jury will return to court on June 1 when the evidence in the trial is due to start.

The defendants include Ahdel Ali, 23, and his 28-year-old brother, Mubarek Ali, both of Regent Street, Wellington, who together deny a total of 30 charges.

Ahdel Ali has denied an allegation of rape, three charges of controlling child prostitution, a charge of facilitating child prostitution, nine allegations of sexual activity with a child, trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation, causing or inciting child prostitution, two charges of meeting a child following sexual grooming and two charges of inciting child prostitution.

Mubarek Ali has denied facilitating child prostitution, three charges of controlling child prostitution, four charges of trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation, a charge of causing or inciting child prostitution and an allegation of sexual activity with a child.

Also in the dock is Mohammed Ali Sultan, 24, of Victoria Avenue, Wellington, who denies an allegation of rape, controlling child prostitution and four charges of sexual activity with a child.

Tanveer Ahmed, 39, of Urban Gardens, Wellington, has denied two charges of sexual activity with a child, two charges of controlling a child prostitute, causing or inciting child prostitution and meeting a child following sexual grooming.

Mahroof Khan, 33, a trainee chef, of Caradoc Flats, Wellington, denies three charges of sexual activity with a child, two of paying for the sexual services of a child and meeting a child following sexual grooming.

Noshad Hussain, 21, a delivery driver of Regent Street, Wellington, has denied facilitating child prostitution and two charges of sexual activity with a child.

Mohammed Islam Choudhrey, 52, of Solway Drive, Sutton Hill, Telford, denies causing or inciting child prostitution and two charges of paying for sexual services of a child.

Mohammed Younis, 59, Kingsland, Arles-ton, Telford, denies facilitating child prostitution and conspiracy to incite child prostitution involving persons unknown.

And Abdul Rouf, 34, of Kingsland, Arleston, Telford, denies one allegation of conspiring to incite prostitution involving persons unknown.

The trial - which is expected to last up to three months - follows a West Mercia Police investigation, codenamed Operation Chalice.

By Arthur Mills