Teenager denies lying over vice girl claims

A 19-year-old woman has denied that she had lied about a Telford man controlling her as prostitute.

The witness was being cross-examined yesterday in the trial of Ahdel Ali who faces allegations involving the sexual exploitation of teenage girls.

The jury at Stafford Crown Court has heard that the girl claimed that during 2009 she was taken to have sex with other men by Ali – who she knew as Eddie.

At court yesterday Mr Tayyab Khan, for Ali, claimed that the witness had lied.

"You have given evidence that Ahdel Ali prostituted you for money and I suggest that you have told lies?

"No, I haven't," said the girl, who is giving evidence behind a screen and cannot be named for legal reasons.

Earlier Mr Khan established that the girl first met Ahdel Ali in March 2007, when she was just 14, having been introduced to him by a girl she met at school who was two years older.

There was a second meeting in Wellington town centre during 2008 when the alleged victim and Ali exchanged mobile phone numbers.

The witness confirmed that a relationship developed between her and Ali and he would give her lifts in his car and they "went for drives and smoked cannabis".

"He respected you and was a good friend?" said Mr Khan.

"At the time I thought he did, but now I think he didn't," the girl told the jury.

Ahdel Ali, and his 29-year-old brother, Mubarek Ali, both of Regent Street, Wellington, deny a total of 26 allegations involving the sexual exploitation of four teenage girls.

Ahdel Ali denies an allegation of rape, 11 allegations of sexual activity with a child, three charges of controlling child prostitution, two of inciting child prostitution, an allegation of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and meeting a child after grooming.

The trial continues.