Lord Ahmed found guilty of child sex offences after trial in Sheffield

Nazir Ahmed was found guilty today at Sheffield Crown Court of attempting to rape a young girl when he was a teenager in the 1970s.

Ahmed, aged 64, was also found guilty of a serious sexual assault against a boy under 11, also in the early 1970s.

Ahmed, a former member of the House of Lords, was created a life peer in 1998 on the recommendation of the then Prime Minister Tony Blair. Ahmed sat in the House until he resigned in 2020.

Ahmed, formerly Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, stood trial in Sheffield for offences dating back more than 40 years.

A woman told jurors that Ahmed attempted to rape her in the early 1970s, when the defendant was about 16 or 17 years old but she was much younger.

The former politician was also found guilty of a serious sexual assault against a boy under 11, also in the early 1970s.

The jury was played a recording of a telephone call between the two complainants, made by the woman after she went to the police in 2016.

Tom Little QC, prosecuting, told the jury that the call was prompted by the man contacting the woman by email saying: “I have evidence against that paedophile.”

Ahmed, who denied all the charges, was found guilty of two counts of attempted rape and one of buggery.

The former Labour peer resigned from the House of Lords in November 2020 after reading the contents of a conduct committee report which found he sexually assaulted a vulnerable woman who sought his help.

The report made him the first peer to be recommended for expulsion but he resigned before this could be implemented.

Ahmed was charged along with his two older brothers, Mohammed Farouq, 71, and Mohammed Tariq, 65, but both these men were deemed unfit to stand trial.

Farouq and Tariq faced charges of indecent assault in relation to the same boy that Ahmed abused and today the jury found that they did the acts alleged.

The conviction of Ahmed follows a tortuous prosecution, which included the halting of a previous trial by a judge who bemoaned the antiquity of the allegations.

But Judge Jeremy Richardson QC said his decision to stop the original trial in March was due to failings in disclosing evidence which had “sabotaged” the proceedings rather than his misgiving over the length of time that had elapsed.

At a hearing earlier in the prosecution, Judge Richardson had noted that some of the then alleged incidents happened in the late 1960s when Harold Wilson was prime minister, Lyndon Johnson was the US president and the Vietnam War was raging.

In March the judge took the unusual step of ordering a permanent stay on proceedings, bringing the prosecution to a close.

But the Crown Prosecution Service appealed against this decision and it was overturned by the Court of Appeal in June, paving the way for the new trial.

Rosemary Ainslie, Head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said: “We asked the jury to dispassionately consider the evidence against each of these men and decide if they could be sure that our prosecution had proved they committed these crimes.

“By these verdicts the jury has clearly decided that no matter the delay between the offences and the trial, and the defences raised, they could be sure that the accounts of the victims were credible and true.

“One of these defendants held a position of power, influence and responsibility for some time in the House of Lords but this case clearly illustrates that where there is sufficient evidence, even in challenging cases, the CPS will bring a prosecution, put evidence before a jury and see rightful convictions."

Ms Ainslie added: “The case also gives an insight into the challenges police and prosecutors face in dealing with huge amounts of information arising from an investigation, and disclosing it properly to the defence to allow a fair trial.

“Disclosure failures should not happen. But the case also shows our determination to admit problems, overcome them and pursue the case, and the court’s ability to ensure the defendants receive a fair trial and their victims see justice.”

Detective Constable Jo Smithson, of South Yorkshire Police, said: “This has been a lengthy and complex investigation and trial, and I would like to thank both victims for their patience and support throughout.

“Abuse of this nature stays with victims for a lifetime and every victim has a right to be heard. I am pleased we were able to present our case to a jury and that justice has been done today.

“My only hope is that this now offers some level of closure for both victims. It must have been an incredibly difficult and brave decision to come forward and speak out after so many years, and I hope it offers assurance to other victims that we do listen and we will do everything we can in our pursuit of offenders.”