Jury watches recorded interviews as trial of six men continues
Jurors at Minshull Street Crown Court were on Friday shown police video interviews with a woman identified in court only as Girl A, who described being drawn into sexual activity with a man she later regarded as a close friend.
Six men – Tahir Rashid, 55; Mohammed Saleem, 47; Sucklane Shah, 47; Amjad Mahmood, 54; Iftaq Hussain, 46; and Arshad Mohammed, 56 – all deny the charges they face. The allegations relate to the abuse and exploitation of three girls in Rochdale across different time periods, and include claims of rape and systematic grooming.
| Defendant | Age (as reported) |
|---|---|
| Tahir Rashid | 55 |
| Mohammed Saleem | 47 |
| Sucklane Shah | 47 |
| Amjad Mahmood | 54 |
| Iftaq Hussain | 46 |
| Arshad Mohammed | 56 |
Prosecutors say the three complainants—referred to as Girl A, Girl B and Girl C to protect their identities—were groomed and sexually exploited, sometimes being forced into sex with multiple men on the same day in squalid flats and houses. The alleged abuse of one complainant is said to date back to the late 1980s, while the other two incidents are alleged to have begun in the mid-2000s.
Witness account played to court
The video interviews with Girl A were played to the jury as part of the prosecution evidence. In those recorded statements she described how contact began and how she came to view one of the defendants as a friend prior to sexual activity.
“I’m not sure how we first met. Someone had passed my number on like usual. I would say I was about 13 or 14.”
She told the court the relationship with the man later named as Mohammed Saleem progressed to sex at a house in Rochdale. In the interview, she said the encounters were not initiated in straightforward terms but involved behaviour that led to sexual activity. The account included details of being kissed and touched, then being taken into a bathroom where further contact occurred.
- Three complainants are named only by letters in court to preserve anonymity.
- Timeframe of alleged offending spans from the late 1980s to the mid-2000s.
- One defendant (Amjad Mahmood) is reported to be unfit to attend court while receiving treatment abroad.
Legal questions and next steps
Court was told jurors must decide whether the men committed the acts as charged and whether the complainants lacked the capacity to consent. All six defendants deny the allegations.
Prosecutors describe a pattern of manipulation and exploitation. Defence teams have challenged the prosecution narrative and will seek to persuade jurors that guilt has not been proved beyond reasonable doubt.
Mr Mahmood is not currently in the dock. The court was informed he is receiving treatment in a foreign hospital and that, through no fault of his own, he is considered unfit to stand trial at present. The judge has directed jurors to continue hearing evidence concerning the other defendants.
Implications for Rochdale
The trial revives painful memories for the town as it examines long-running allegations of exploitation. Cases of this nature carry both criminal and community consequences: survivors seek justice and recognition, while local services and police forces face scrutiny over historic responses to reports of abuse.
For residents, the proceedings at Minshull Street are a reminder of the complexities involved in prosecuting historic sexual offences, particularly where alleged grooming crosses decades and involves young victims. The trial is ongoing and further witness evidence and legal argument will follow in the coming days.
The court continues to protect the identities of the complainants. Reporting restrictions remain in place while the case is heard.
