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| Middlesbrough grooming case: three guilty of child sex offences | Middlesbrough grooming case: three guilty of child sex offences |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A 17-year-old boy has been found guilty of grooming and sexually exploiting teenage girls on Teesside. | |
| Ateeq Latif, from Middlesbrough, was found guilty a day after the jury at Teesside Crown Court found taxi driver Shakil Munir, 32, guilty of charges involving girls aged 13 and 14. | Ateeq Latif, from Middlesbrough, was found guilty a day after the jury at Teesside Crown Court found taxi driver Shakil Munir, 32, guilty of charges involving girls aged 13 and 14. |
| A third man, Sakib Ahmed, 19, pleaded guilty to exploiting five victims. The men, all from Middlesbrough, were "loosely connected", the court heard. | A third man, Sakib Ahmed, 19, pleaded guilty to exploiting five victims. The men, all from Middlesbrough, were "loosely connected", the court heard. |
| Two 18-year-old men were cleared. | |
| Judge John Walford lifted orders banning Ahmed's guilty pleas and Latif's identity being reported. | Judge John Walford lifted orders banning Ahmed's guilty pleas and Latif's identity being reported. |
| 'Arduous inquiry' | |
| The court heard allegations relating to seven victims, some of whom were known to each other. | The court heard allegations relating to seven victims, some of whom were known to each other. |
| The "vulnerable" girls were groomed with offers of free lifts, takeaway food and in some case drugs, prosecutors said. | The "vulnerable" girls were groomed with offers of free lifts, takeaway food and in some case drugs, prosecutors said. |
| Latif, of Abingdon Road, and Ahmed, of Cambridge Road, will be sentenced alongside Munir, of Tollesby Road, at a later date. | Latif, of Abingdon Road, and Ahmed, of Cambridge Road, will be sentenced alongside Munir, of Tollesby Road, at a later date. |
| Latif was found guilty of two counts of arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence. His victims were both aged 14. He was cleared of another count of the same charge. | Latif was found guilty of two counts of arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence. His victims were both aged 14. He was cleared of another count of the same charge. |
| Ahmed admitted five counts of sexual activity with a child before the six-week trial of the other defendants. | Ahmed admitted five counts of sexual activity with a child before the six-week trial of the other defendants. |
| Munir was found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a child and one of child abduction. | Munir was found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a child and one of child abduction. |
| Speaking after the case, Det Insp Dino Carlucci, of Cleveland Police, said: "These men preyed on young, vulnerable girls by befriending them and securing their trust and then exploited it. | |
| "This has been an arduous and protracted inquiry for all involved and particularly for the young victims, who I commend for having the strength to see this through until the end. | |
| "It hasn't been easy for them, or their loved ones, but hopefully now they can put this behind them and look forward to bright futures." |