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Peterborough 'Facebook grooming' sex attackers guilty | Peterborough 'Facebook grooming' sex attackers guilty |
(35 minutes later) | |
Two Cambridgeshire men have been convicted of sex offences after targeting teenage girls though Facebook and text messages. | Two Cambridgeshire men have been convicted of sex offences after targeting teenage girls though Facebook and text messages. |
Yasir Ali, 28, and Daaim Ashraf, 19, from Peterborough, were found guilty after a trial at Cambridge Crown Court. | Yasir Ali, 28, and Daaim Ashraf, 19, from Peterborough, were found guilty after a trial at Cambridge Crown Court. |
Victims were collected from their homes around Peterborough, Lincolnshire and Rutland and taken to secluded spots. | Victims were collected from their homes around Peterborough, Lincolnshire and Rutland and taken to secluded spots. |
A third defendant, James Daly, 25, of Grange Road, Peterborough, was cleared of one charge of rape. | A third defendant, James Daly, 25, of Grange Road, Peterborough, was cleared of one charge of rape. |
Ali, of Grange Road, was convicted of 15 charges, including four rapes, seven trafficking offences, possession of two indecent images, having sexual activity with a child and intimidation. He was cleared of one charge of rape. | Ali, of Grange Road, was convicted of 15 charges, including four rapes, seven trafficking offences, possession of two indecent images, having sexual activity with a child and intimidation. He was cleared of one charge of rape. |
'Sex objects' | 'Sex objects' |
Ashraf, of Almoners Lane in the city, was found guilty of nine charges, including five trafficking offences, a sexual assault, sexual activity with a child, sexual activity in the presence of a child and a further count of intimidation. | Ashraf, of Almoners Lane in the city, was found guilty of nine charges, including five trafficking offences, a sexual assault, sexual activity with a child, sexual activity in the presence of a child and a further count of intimidation. |
They will be sentenced the week beginning 16 June. | They will be sentenced the week beginning 16 June. |
BBC Look East's home affairs correspondent, Sally Chidzoy, said upon conviction Daaim Ashraf laughed and raised a finger at the press bench. | |
The trial, which began in March, heard the teenagers were targeted via Facebook, Blackberry Messenger and through text messages. | The trial, which began in March, heard the teenagers were targeted via Facebook, Blackberry Messenger and through text messages. |
Prosecutor Patricia Lynch said they were picked up, plied with alcohol and used as "sex objects". | Prosecutor Patricia Lynch said they were picked up, plied with alcohol and used as "sex objects". |
Police said six of the victims, the youngest of whom was 13, were abused at a hotel in Peterborough in January and February last year. One victim was filmed on a mobile phone. | |
Two victims were also raped in cars at Ferry Meadows in 2008 and 2010 and another girl was raped in an alleyway in Stamford, police said. | |
Two other defendants were cleared during the trial. | Two other defendants were cleared during the trial. |
The verdicts follow on from five men convicted in February at the Old Bailey for similar offences in Peterborough. | |
Det Supt Gary Ridgway, from Cambridgeshire Police, said: "The girls were targeted due to their vulnerability and groomed via social media. They were made to feel special." | |
Sue Westcott, executive director of children's services at Peterborough City Council, said the experiences of the victims were "horrendous" and "traumatic". | |
"We will continue to work closely with the police to uncover these sorts of crimes in our area and bring those responsible to justice," she added. |
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