Four men go on trial accused of sexually abusing girls as part of 'seedy’ Meadowhall scene

Four men have gone on trial accused of the historical sexual abuse of two girls as part of what has been described as the ‘seedy’ Meadowhall scene.

Monday, 10th June 2019, 5:51 pm

Amin Aslam, 36; Yasser Hussain, 35; Azad Raja, 35 and Defendant Four went on trial at Sheffield Crown Court today, accused of committing a number of sex offences against two girls between 2001 and 2004, when they were aged between 13 and 15-years-old.

Defendant Four and the two alleged victims, Girl A and Girl B, cannot be named for legal reasons.

Opening the Crown’s case to the jury, prosecutor, Jayne Beckett, said Girl A and Girl B were friends and would hang around what she described as the ‘Meadowhall scene’.

Ms Beckett said the Meadowhall scene was a ‘big draw’ for the two girls, and older Asian males would ‘congregate’ in the area.

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“They would hang around there [Meadowhall], and other locations, and would meet up with older males. Those males would often try and take advantage of them sexually and would provide them with drink and drugs ,” said Ms Beckett.

She added: “The Crown say the Meadowhall scene was very seedy indeed.”

Girl A, who is described as being the more ‘dominant’ of the two girls, is alleged to have been sexually abused by Aslam; Raja and Hussain.

Girl B was allegedly abused by Defendant Four and met him through the Meadowhall scene, the court heard.

Ms Beckett said Girl A met the defendants she was allegedly abused by through a woman she used to babysit for.

The jury were told that while the girls may have believed they were in some form of romantic relationship with the defendants, they often felt ‘pressurised’ into sexual activity.

“In the circumstances of this case, any appearance of consent was more like acquiescence,” said Ms Beckett.

- Aslam, of Letham Avenue, Rotherham denies one count of rape and one count of indecent assault.

- Raja, of Abney Street, Sheffield city centre denies three counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault.

- Hussain, of Norborough Road, Tinsley denies one count of rape and two counts of indecent assault.

- Defendant Four denies two counts of indecent assault.
