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Three Girls drama depicts 'painful time' for grooming gang prosecutor | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
A former senior prosecutor says he received death threats after the Rochdale grooming gang was convicted, as a drama based on the case starts. | |
Nazir Afzal was the North West's chief crown prosecutor when he overturned a decision not to charge nine men who ran a child sex exploitation ring. | |
They were eventually jailed and given sentences of between four and 19 years. | |
He said BBC One's new drama Three Girls brought back a very painful time for him when the "far right" went for him. | He said BBC One's new drama Three Girls brought back a very painful time for him when the "far right" went for him. |
'Far right' | 'Far right' |
Mr Afzal, who was chief prosecutor between 2011 and 2015, said: "The film ends on a good news story… namely, justice. | |
"What it doesn't show it what happened to me afterwards - because the far right decided to go for me. | "What it doesn't show it what happened to me afterwards - because the far right decided to go for me. |
"Death threats, an online petition calling for me to be killed, sacked, deported... it was a horrific experience." | "Death threats, an online petition calling for me to be killed, sacked, deported... it was a horrific experience." |
He said the three-part drama "reminded me of how painful it was" and "it became very real again". | He said the three-part drama "reminded me of how painful it was" and "it became very real again". |
"When they discovered that a member of the minority brought the prosecution in the first place, they decided to create lots of fake news... that maybe I was involved in the earlier decisions [not to prosecute], when I didn't even live in the north west of England." | |
He said it led to thousands of emails - including ones sent to then-US president Barack Obama and the UK prime minister - "calling for me to be sacked and deported", and a demonstration by English Defence League (EDL) protestors outside his home. | He said it led to thousands of emails - including ones sent to then-US president Barack Obama and the UK prime minister - "calling for me to be sacked and deported", and a demonstration by English Defence League (EDL) protestors outside his home. |
'Hurt me' | 'Hurt me' |
Mr Afzal said he had a police officer outside his home for security for his family. | Mr Afzal said he had a police officer outside his home for security for his family. |
He said: "I wasn't prepared for it. They were desperate to undermine me and to hurt me." | He said: "I wasn't prepared for it. They were desperate to undermine me and to hurt me." |
He added: "My pain was nothing compared to those victims who weren't believed and who suffered for years because they weren't taken seriously." | He added: "My pain was nothing compared to those victims who weren't believed and who suffered for years because they weren't taken seriously." |
The EDL said in a statement: "The people who would have been involved in any action against Mr Afzal left the EDL at the time of Tommy Robinson's departure from the organisation in 2013. | The EDL said in a statement: "The people who would have been involved in any action against Mr Afzal left the EDL at the time of Tommy Robinson's departure from the organisation in 2013. |
"We have heard about the action against Mr Afzal, but only through media reports. We have no 'corporate memory' of the incident(s)." | "We have heard about the action against Mr Afzal, but only through media reports. We have no 'corporate memory' of the incident(s)." |
Mr Afzal left the Crown Prosecution Service as part of efficiencies. | Mr Afzal left the Crown Prosecution Service as part of efficiencies. |
Watch Three Girls on BBC One at 21:00 BST on Tuesday 16 May. | Watch Three Girls on BBC One at 21:00 BST on Tuesday 16 May. |
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