Three Sheffield men found not guilty of sexual abuse charges involving two schoolgirls

A Sheffield Crown Court trial heard how Azad Raja and Yasser Hussain, both aged 38, and Faisal Hussain, 34, were charged with sexual offences relating to two complainants who were aged around 13 at the time of the alleged crimes.

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But the jury, today, found Azad Raja, formerly of Ferrars Road, Tinsley, Sheffield, not guilty to two counts of indecent assault concerning the first complainant, and Yasser Hussain, of Norborough Road, Tinsley, Sheffield, not guilty to two counts of indecent assault against the same complainant.

The jury also found Faisal Hussain, of Lovetot Road, Kimberworth, Rotherham, not guilty to two counts of indecent assault concerning the second complainant.

Judge David Dixon told the defendants: “The jury have delivered not guilty verdicts for all of you. In light of that you are discharged as far as this case is concerned.”

As the jury returned not guilty verdicts for all three defendants, Yasser Hussain was reduced to tears.

Judge Dixon told the jury: “You will understand how much this matters from Yasser Hussain’s reaction.”

Prosecuting barrister Jayne Louise Beckett previously told the jury that the case dated back to around 2001 and she had claimed it had involved the alleged sexual abuse of two girls who were still at school and who may have been as young as 13 years-old.

Ms Beckett said the girls, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were friends and spent time at Meadowhall and around Sheffield and they had involved themselves with older men.

The court has heard how Azad Raja had met the first complainant at the home of one of her mother’s friends and she had later met Yasser Hussain at a neighbour’s home.

Azad Raja, who had worked as a taxi-driver, confirmed he had been in a relationship with the first complainant but he said he had believed she was aged 16 and their relationship had only involved kissing and hugging.

Former taxi-driver Yasser Hussain told the jury he had only seen this complainant among a group after he had twice been taken to an older woman’s home by a friend and that he had never had any physical contact or sexual involvement with her.

Yasser Hussain had also been accused of raping this complainant but the jury was directed to return a not guilty verdict on this matter after the CPS stated this offence could not be proven.

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Defence barrister Hugh Barton told the jury Faisal Hussain had been wrongly snared among the rise of sexual exploitation investigations.

Mr Barton argued the second complainant’s allegations against Faisal Hussain surfaced years after they were said to have happened and both complainants have made compensation claims.

He argued the position leads to confusion and inconsistency and he described the second complainant’s account as “hazy” after she had referred to Faisal Hussain as a tall man aged in his 20s.

The jury heard that Faisal Hussain had previously been convicted of a sexual offence relating to when he was 14 but Mr Barton said his client maintains he was wrongly convicted.