This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26276101
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Peterborough sex attack gang jailed | Peterborough sex attack gang jailed |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A gang that raped and sexually assaulted five vulnerable girls in Peterborough have been jailed at the Old Bailey. | A gang that raped and sexually assaulted five vulnerable girls in Peterborough have been jailed at the Old Bailey. |
| Hassan Abdulla, 33, was jailed for 20 years while Zdeno Mirga, 18, described as the "boss" by one victim, was jailed for 16 and a half years. | |
| Both were convicted of multiple rapes and child prostitution. | Both were convicted of multiple rapes and child prostitution. |
| Jan Kandrac, 17, and Renato Balog, 18, were jailed for five and a half and 12 years respectively. | |
| A 14-year-old boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was given a non-custodial six-month youth rehabilitation order after being convicted of sexual activity with a child. | A 14-year-old boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was given a non-custodial six-month youth rehabilitation order after being convicted of sexual activity with a child. |
| The men and youths were of Czech and Slovak Roma and Kurdish backgrounds. | The men and youths were of Czech and Slovak Roma and Kurdish backgrounds. |
| 'Worst case' | 'Worst case' |
| Ringleader Mirga and Balog will begin their sentences in a young offender institution. | Ringleader Mirga and Balog will begin their sentences in a young offender institution. |
| Mirga was convicted of eight counts of rape and one count of inciting child prostitution. The court heard one of his victims became pregnant. | Mirga was convicted of eight counts of rape and one count of inciting child prostitution. The court heard one of his victims became pregnant. |
| Drug dealer Abdulla was convicted of four rapes and three counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. | Drug dealer Abdulla was convicted of four rapes and three counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. |
| Balog, who helped Abdulla sell drugs, was jailed for five rapes and three sexual assaults. | Balog, who helped Abdulla sell drugs, was jailed for five rapes and three sexual assaults. |
| Kandrac will serve his sentence in a young offender institution for one count of rape and two of indecent assault on a child. | Kandrac will serve his sentence in a young offender institution for one count of rape and two of indecent assault on a child. |
| The court was told the case came to light when a girl, then aged 12 or 13, was taken into care and began to tell her social worker what had been happening to her. | The court was told the case came to light when a girl, then aged 12 or 13, was taken into care and began to tell her social worker what had been happening to her. |
| After the trial the Crown Prosecution Service said it was one of the "worst cases" of child sex abuse it had seen. | After the trial the Crown Prosecution Service said it was one of the "worst cases" of child sex abuse it had seen. |
| The gang preyed on girls who visited a fried chicken takeaway in Peterborough. | The gang preyed on girls who visited a fried chicken takeaway in Peterborough. |
| They used "sophisticated" grooming tactics to lure them to attacks carried out at parks and other locations, including a children's playground, police said. | They used "sophisticated" grooming tactics to lure them to attacks carried out at parks and other locations, including a children's playground, police said. |
| Peterborough City Council has begun a serious case review into the care the children received. | Peterborough City Council has begun a serious case review into the care the children received. |
| Discredited 'hard working Roma' | |
| Ringleader Mirga offered the girls out to other men to get money for vodka and drugs, the court was told. | |
| Judge John Bevan singled out the gang's treatment of one victim, who had severe learning difficulties and a very low IQ. | |
| She was repeatedly raped, with men and boys sometimes lining up to abuse her as a "sexual commodity", he said. | |
| "To you she was easy meat, a sexual plaything who no one cared about, no one cared for and who nobody would believe. | |
| "Unfortunately for you, the jury did. | |
| "The combination of the crimes you have committed and your attitude to these crimes both in this country and this court bring discredit on all of you in the dock. | |
| "It also does a disservice to your fellow Roma who want to work hard in this country, improve themselves and make a positive contribution." | |
| The judge branded Abdulla a "dangerous predatory paedophile" who fled Iraq in 2002 and has since been convicted of offences including drug possession. | |
| He is likely to be deported once he has served his sentence, along with Balog and Kandrac. | |
| The 14-year-old defendant was allowed to walk free from court after the judge was told he had already spent seven-and-a-half months on remand. | |
| The investigation was a joint inquiry between Cambridgeshire Police and Peterborough City Council's children's services. | |
| Gillian Beasley, chief executive of Peterborough City Council, said it would be "a long road to recovery for these girls". |