In 2019, the Offender Database reported that a long-running investigation into child sexual exploitation in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, resulted in further “vicious” convictions. As part of West Yorkshire Police’s Operation Tendersea, two men—Mohammed Akram and Usman Khalid—were found guilty of serious sexual offences following a three-week trial at Leeds Crown Court.
The investigation established that between January and October 2018, the operation had already resulted in 20 men being jailed for a total of 257 years. The prosecution reported that a victim, known as Girl N, was groomed from the age of 11 by takeaway worker Zahid Hassan. Vulnerable due to her mother’s drug addiction and her subsequent placement in the care system, Girl N was “vilely” targeted, abducted from a children’s home, and repeatedly raped by multiple men, including Akram, Hassan, and Khalid.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Mohammed Akram, then 33, of Springdale Street, Huddersfield, was already serving a 17-year sentence for previous trafficking and rape convictions when he returned to the dock. The jury emphasised the “reprehensible” nature of his actions by finding him unanimously guilty of the rape of a child under 13, three counts of rape, abduction, and trafficking. Usman Khalid, then 31, of Brook Street, Huddersfield, was found guilty of sexual assault of a child under 13.
Girl N gave evidence for the third time, enduring seven hours of “vicious” cross-examination. She emphasised that the entire care system had failed her. The prosecution emphasised that on one occasion, police found her covered in blood in a house with Akram and other older men. While Akram and Khalid were convicted, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided not to proceed with a re-trial for two co-accused women, Shahnaz Malik and Naveeda Habeeb, on child cruelty charges.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For their crimes in England, the following statuses were confirmed:
- Sentencing Date: Scheduled for 21 June 2019.
- Mohammed Akram: Convicted of rape of a child under 13, three counts of rape, abduction, and trafficking (adding to his existing 17-year sentence).
- Usman Khalid: Convicted of sexual assault of a child under 13.
- Other Participants: Zahid Hassan (18 years), Mansoor Akhtar (14 years), and Mohammed Irfraz (6 years) were already serving significant terms.
- Sex Offenders Register: All convicted men were placed on the register for life.
Monitoring and Public Protection
The offenders are managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by West Yorkshire Police and the prison estate. Due to the “vicious” and organised nature of the grooming network uncovered by Operation Tendersea, their management is under the highest level of scrutiny by the Public Protection Unit.
As lifetime members of the Sex Offenders Register, these men must comply with mandatory notification requirements regarding their future residences in Huddersfield. Authorities state that the “vile” scale of the exploitation and the “vicious” abduction of a child from care necessitate lifelong supervision. Any breach of their registration conditions or future licence terms will result in their immediate arrest and return to the Crown Court.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the individuals highlighted on this website, please report them to the Police on 101 (999 in an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details on reporting a crime. You can also report to Crimestoppers if you wish to remain completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.