"This has been too much for me to bear now."
Four members of a grooming gang have been jailed for a combined total of 49 years for several rape charges against a vulnerable 15-year-old girl.
The men collectively appeared on a total of 14 counts of rape committed on the girl between March 2009 and March 2010.
The men raped the same girl, described as “extremely troubled and tormented”, either individually or together, often plying her with alcohol.
It was heard that the grooming gang drove the girl to parks, flats and isolated places in the Keighley area where they raped her.
A victim impact statement was read out in court by the prosecutor Katherine Robinson:
“My life was horrible.
“I have had mental health struggles as an adult. I have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Because of what I have suffered, I feel like nice things have been taken away from me.
“I am the victim of abuse and that will never go away. I’m still suffering.
“This has been too much for me to bear now.”
The grooming gang were convicted following a seven-week trial in October 2021.
Hassan Syed Basharat was convicted of one count of rape and conspiracy to rape.
Baber Hussain committed seven counts of rape.
Omar Safdar was convicted of three counts of rape. He raped the girl in her own home despite her telling him not to attend.
Imran Sabir was found guilty of one count of rape and a count of conspiracy to rape.
Judge Andrew Hatton said the gang had “preyed upon her vulnerability”.
He said: “She became the victim of grooming and was groomed by a significant number of men.
“She is a young woman who has suffered at the hands of a great many men.
“These men took advantage of the girl’s vulnerability. Her victim impact statement makes for deeply unpleasant reading.
“She has significant mental health difficulties and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Each and every one of you involved at any stage bears part of the responsibility to the traumatic condition she is now in.
“The gross abuse she suffered at the hands of you and others like you is a significant factor in her mental state now.
“It has taken some time for the victim to come forward and have the courage to do so.”
In mitigation for Basharat, he did not accept his offending and has cared for his bedbound mother since 2017.
Mitigation for Baber Hussain included he has got married and now is father to two children.
Sabir’s counsel said he was a “man of outstanding good character”.
Safdar’s mitigating counsel said his family are extremely supportive of him and he “does take his future seriously”.
It was added that Safdar “did not ply her with alcohol, they drank alcohol together”.
Hassan Syed Basharat, aged 32, of Keighley, was jailed for 12 years.
Baber Hussain, aged 36, of Heaton, was jailed for 13 years. He was jailed for a further eight months for two charges of dangerous driving.
Omar Safdar, aged 30, who is already in prison, was jailed for 12 years.
Imran Sabir, aged 42, of Keighley, was jailed for 12 years.
A fifth man, Amjad Hussain, aged 35, of Keighley, was convicted of three rape charges. His sentencing was adjourned until March 15, 2022, as he did not have legal representation.
Ed Hulbert, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said:
“These men cynically manipulated and ruthlessly exploited a young and vulnerable girl.”
“They plied her with drugs and alcohol and abused her systematically and repeatedly.
“They raped her when she was alone and unprotected.
“They are now facing lengthy prison sentences.
“The victim has displayed immense courage and resilience in reporting these crimes and helping us to build a robust case to put before a jury. Our thoughts remain with her.”
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