Number of arrests, convictions and victims identified in huge Rotherham child abuse probe

The National Crime Agency’s (NCA) Operation Stovewoodwas established in 2014, in the wake of the explosive Jay Report, which laid bare the true extent of child sexual abuse and exploitation in the town.

It described how at least 1,400 children in Rotherham had been subjected to grooming and abuse by gangs of men, the majority of whom were of predominantly Pakistani heritage, between 1997 and 2013.

It also outlined how police and social workers had failed to step in.

South Yorkshire Police and Rotherham Council were criticised for their failings.

Stovewood began back when the NCA was formally asked to lead an independent investigation by the Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police at that time.

Over the last decade, Operation Stovewood has grown into the single largest law enforcement investigation into non-familial child sexual exploitation and abuse in the UK.

In numbers, here is an overview of the current status of Operation Stovewood:

• 200 police officers are currently working on the investigation

• 209 individuals have been arrested so far

• 1,100 survivors of abuse have been identified so far

• 10 years is the amount of time the investigation has been running for

• 40 individuals have been convicted in connection with Operation Stovewood

The sentences handed down

• David Fish, aged 41 at the time of his sentencing hearing in November 2024, of Kimberworth, Rotherham: Jailed for 12 years for offences including: two counts of sexual activity with a child; one count of causing or inciting child prostitution or pornography, one count of rape, and one count of unlawful wounding

• Neil King, aged 51 at the time of his sentencing in September 2024, formerly of Meadow Street, Rotherham: Jailed for 21 years for offences including: Seven counts of sexual activity with a child; two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity; four counts of attempted rape; two counts of rape; one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity; one count of sexual activity with a child

• Shahid Hussain, aged 48 at the time of his sentencing in September 2024, formerly of Ferrars Road, Tinsley, Sheffield: Jailed for eight years for offences including: one count of indecent assault

• David Saynor, aged 77 at the time of his sentencing in August 2024: Jailed for 24 years for offences including: rape; sexual activity with a child; meeting a child following sexual grooming; engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and assault by penetration

• Adam Ali, aged 43 at the time of his sentencing in April 2024: Jailed for 13 years in April 2024 for offences including: three counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault

• Tahir Yasin, aged 38 at the time of his sentencing in September 2024, formerly of Burngreave Street, Sheffield: Jailed for 13 years for offences including eight counts of rape

• Ramin Bari, aged 38 at the time of his sentencing in September 2024, formerly of Derby Street, Sheffield: Jailed for nine years for offences including four counts of rape

• Mohammed Amar, aged 43 at the time of his sentencing in September 2024, of Elizabeth Way, Rotherham: Jailed for 14 years plus two years on licence for offences including: two counts of indecent assault of a girl aged 11 years. Amar was found not guilty of one count of indecent assault

• Yasser Ajaibe, aged 39 at the time of his sentencing in September 2024, formerly of Walter Street, Rotherham: Jailed for six years plus one year on licence for offences including: indecent assault of a girl aged 11 years

• Mohammed Zameer Sadiq, aged 49 at the time of his sentencing in September 2024; formerly of Richard Road, Rotherham: Jailed for 15 years plus one year on licence for offences including: rape and sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 years

• Mohammed Siyab, aged 45 at the time of his sentencing in September 2024, formerly of Stevenson Drive, Rotherham: Jailed for 25 years for offences including: sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 years; two counts of rape; and trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation

• Abid Saddiq, aged 43 at the time of his sentencing in September 2024, formerly of Rotherham: Jailed for 24 years plus one year on licence for offences including: indecent assault of a girl aged 12 years; rape of a girl aged under 13; and two counts of rape

• Asghar Bostan, aged 58, at the time of his sentencing in February 2018, formerly of East Bawtry Road, Rotherham: Jailed for nine years for offences including: rape

• Riaz Makhmood, aged 39 at the time of their sentencing in November 2017, formerly of Falding Street, Masbrough: Jailed for six years, nine months for offences including: three counts of indecent assault

• Sajid Ali, aged 38 at the time of their sentencing in November 2017, formerly of Jones Street, Masbrough: Jailed for seven-and-a-half-years for offences including: seven counts of indecent assault

• Zaheer Iqbal, aged 40 at the time of their sentencing in November 2017, formerly of St Johns Avenue, Masbrough: Jailed for seven-and-a-half-years for offences including: five counts of indecent assault

• Mohammed Imran Ali Akhtar, aged 37 at the time of his first sentencing in November 2018, was sentenced to 23 years in prison for offences including: one count of rape, one count of aiding and abetting rape, three counts of indecent assault, one count of procuring a girl under 21 to have unlawful sexual intercourse with another, and one count of sexual assault
• He subsequently pleaded guilty to further offences of rape and indecent assault and was sentenced to a further 12 years in prison in May 2024, to run concurrently to his other sentence

• Iqlak Yousaf, aged 34 at the time of his sentencing in November 2018: Jailed for 20 years for offences including: two counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault

• Nabeel Kurshid, aged 35 at the time of his sentencing in November 2018: Jailed for 19 years for offences including: two counts of rape and one count of indecent assault

• Tanweer Ali, aged 37 at the time of his sentencing in November 2018: Jailed for 14 years for offences including: two counts of rape; two counts of indecent assault and one count of false imprisonment

• Salah Ahmed El-Hakam, aged 39 at the time of his sentencing in November 2018: Jailed for 15 years for offences including one count of rape

• Asif Ali, aged 33 at the the time of his sentencing in November 2018: Jailed for 10 years for offences including: two counts of indecent assault

• Aftab Hussain, aged 40 at the time of his first sentencing in August 2019, formerly of York Road, Rotherham: Jailed for 24 years for offences including: two counts of indecent assault
• Hussain admitted a further offence of rape and received a further sentence of eight years’ imprisonment, which will run concurrently to his first sentence

• Masaued Malik, aged 35 at the time of his sentencing in August 2019, formerly of HMP Doncaster: Jailed for five years for three counts of indecent assault

• Abid Saddiq aged 38 at the time of his sentencing in August 2019, formerly HMP Doncaster and Walter Street, Masbrough: Jailed for 20 years for offences including: two counts of rape, four counts of indecent assault and two counts of child abduction

• Sharaz Hussain, aged 35 at the time of his sentencing in August 2019, formerly of Fitzwilliam Road, Eastwood: Jailed for four years for offences including: four counts of indecent assault

No new cases to be taken on by NCA from 2024

In November 2023, the NCA confirmed they would not take on any new cases as part of Operation Stovewood from January 1, 2024.

Speaking at the time of the announcement, NCA Stovewood head of investigations Philip Marshall said: “During the course of the last nine years we have identified more than 1,100 victims and made contact with as many of those as possible.

“Some, for reasons that are entirely understandable, have decided not to engage with us. We respect their decisions.

“We are now confident that we have done all we realistically can to identify those individuals who may have been victims during the Stovewood time period.

“As a result, from the start of 2024, the NCA will no longer open any new investigations, and any new allegations will be investigated by South Yorkshire Police.

“This does not mean we are walking away. We will continue to investigate in the cases we have already opened, and victims should know we will continue to treat them as a priority.

“We remain determined to seek justice for as many victims as possible and we will continue to work with partners including the CPS to bring as many offenders to justice as we can.”