Sheffield mother says she struggled to stop young daughter seeing men accused of sexually abusing her

A Sheffield Crown Court trial heard how Azad Raja, of Adney Street, Sheffield, Yasser Hussain, of Norborough Road, Tinsley, Sheffield, both aged 37, and a third defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have been charged with sexual offences relating to two complainants who were aged around 13 at the time of the allegations.

One of the girls was allegedly abused by Raja and Yasser Hussain and the second girl was allegedly abused by the unnamed third defendant.

Jayne Beckett, prosecuting, said the case dates back to 2001 when the schoolgirls were as young as 13-years-old and they would hang around shopping centres, in particular Meadowhall. She added drink and drugs played a part as they were targeted by adult males for sex.

The mother of the first girl, who cannot be named for legal resaons, told the court her daughter had become argumentative and she could not stop her going out.

She said: “It was me and my dad who phoned the police to come out to see us at my dad’s house. That happened twice, I think. I just told him what she was doing going off with these people.”

The mother added that she and her own mother once waited behind a fence for her daughter before a car pulled-up and she saw her daughter with Azad Raja in the back seat and the other girl in the front seat with the driver.

The mother said: “I said keep away from my daughter she’s only 14 and I slapped him across the face.”

Azad Raja visited the girl’s home because her mother said they thought something bad would happen if they did not let him in.

The two complainants, who are now adults and cannot be named for legal reasons, gave accounts to police in 2016 and it was stated the first girl had met the defendants through an adult friend.

Ms Beckett said Azad Raja allegedly groomed the first girl for about a year buying her gifts.

He allegedly sexually assaulted her twice and raped her in her bedroom, again in his bedroom and again in a lift at Meadowhall, according to Ms Beckett.

Yasser Hussain also allegedly twice abused the first girl and allegedly raped her, according to Ms Beckett.

The second girl, who used to go to Meadowhall with the first girl, met the unnamed third defendant and he allegedly sexually assaulted her twice with oral sex.

Azad Raja told police he had a relationship with the first girl but it had not been sexual and she said she was 16-years-old.

Yasser Hussain told police he had met one of the girls through a friend. The unnamed third defendant claimed he did not know the first girl.

Raja has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault. Yasser Hussain has pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and two counts of indecent assault, and the third defendant has denied two counts of indecent assault.

The trial continues.

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