BULLFINCH SENTENCING: Defendants offer their mitigation

In mitigation the barristers put forward arguments on behalf of their clients but most acknowledged long prison sentences are due to be handed out today.

Some argued their clients had lesser roles in the abuse, and some that their crimes were not as bad as other gang members.

It was also argued one gang member had fallen into a life of drink and drugs after a failed arranged marriage, and another had been “flattered” by a young girl’s attention.

But before the defence barristers spoke, prosecutor Noel Lucas asked the judge to consider the violence and drugs used on the young and vulnerable girls.

Judge Peter Rook was reminded of the gang’s crimes as Mr Lucas told the court the girls had been forced to have sex and had been beaten and threatened if they refused.

Mr Lucas said: “These defendants and those associated with them were able to have whatever sexual contact they wanted regardless of the wishes of the victims.”

He also said the gang had made money out of the abuse.

ASSAD HUSSAIN

BMW plant worker Assad Hussain is in a “different category” to the other men in the dock, his lawyer said.

Dad-of-one Hussain, who abused Girls 1 and 5, was convicted of two counts of sexual activity with a child.

Mark George, defending, told the court Hussain, 32, got married in 2007 but suffered “grief” and “heartache” as two of his young babies died from a birth defect and his wife also miscarried.

Mr George said Hussain, of Ashhurst Way in Rose Hill, was “flattered” by the attention Girl 5 showed him.

He said: “He was wrong to allow himself to engage in sexual behaviour with (Girl 5).”

Mr George said Hussain, who also worked at Domino’s Pizza, was introduced to Girl 1 by others before he was married.

He said: “He did not play any part in the corruption of (Girl 1).

“His offences were effectively taking advantage of the fact that she appeared to be available for sex.”

The court also heard Hussain had not accepted he ever had sex with Girl 1.

Mr George also said there was no evidence Hussain paid for sex with the girls or used any force.

He said Hussain’s crime also did not warrant an extended sentence.

ANJUM DOGAR

ANJUM Dogar showed one of the girls he abused “kindness” and got caught up in the “culture of Cowley Road”, his barrister has claimed.

The 31-year-old lived in Tawney Street, East Oxford, and was convicted of three rapes, three charges of conspiracy to rape, two of arranging child prostitution, and trafficking for sexual exploitation.

He has no similar crimes on his record, but does have convictions for driving offences, a burglary in 2006 and possessing cannabis.

Lee Karu QC, defending, said that Dogar had been convicted of crimes that only took place within a period of two years, from 2004 to 2006. He said: “Our submission is that, given the nature of the culture of Cowley Road, he in 2004 was a 22-year-old young man. Two years after he was 24.

“The reality is he was caught up with the culture.

“If he had been fortunate enough not to be brought up in the Cowley Road area things may have been different, but that is where he was.”

But Noel Lucas QC, prosecuting, said that evidence heard in the case suggested Dogar had been having sex with underage girls as late as 2010.

In relation to Girl 1’s evidence Mr Karu added: “She says he treated her with a little kindness. He wasn’t so relentless in asking for sex.”

AKHTAR DOGAR

AKHTAR Dogar’s lawyer acknowledged his crimes were “extremely serious” but said the case involved other “worse forms of behaviour”.

The hospital porter was convicted of five rapes, three charges of conspiracy to rape, two of arranging child prostitution, and trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Girl 1 was raped and sold for sex by Dogar, of Tawney Street, between the ages of 12 and 15.

He also abused Girl 2.

The 32-year-old was also part of a gang which drove Girl 1 out to Shotover Woods and threatened to cut her throat before forcing her to perform a sex act on several men.

But Andrew Jefferies said his client’s crimes did not warrant a life sentence.

He said: “I, of course, accept that the Shotover Woods incident is extremely serious.

“There is simply nothing I can say as far as mitigating the criminality involved in that incident is concerned.”

But he added: “There are cases that involved much worse forms of behaviour however revolting that particular count was.”

The defence barrister also said the crimes did not deserve an extended sentence.

He said: “The reality is two thirds of a long sentence is a long sentence in itself.”

He also said his client’s involvement with Girl 3 was limited to four meetings.

And speaking about Girl 1 and 4, he said: “The scale of the exploitation in each of their cases was enormous.”

The prosecution applied for Sexual Offences Prevention Orders to restrict the men’s contact with girls. Sentences will be passed today at 2pm.

KAMAR JAMIL

KAMAR Jamil was described by his barrister as “a follower and not a leader” who was drawn into a world of “drink, drugs and casual sex”.

Speaking on behalf of her client in the Old Bailey yesterday, Sally O’Neill QC accused the police and social services of “wilful blindness” in connection with the abuse and exploitation that took place.

Jamil, 27, of Aldrich Road, North Oxford, worked as a security guard and was convicted of five counts of rape, two charges of conspiracy to rape, and one of arranging child prostitution.

Miss O’Neill said: “He was a follower and not a leader.

“At the age of 19 he became drawn into what appears to have been an already existing situation.

“His involvement lasted about two years, so it was clearly not for all that time.

“The evidence suggests his voluntary withdrawal from continued involvement after that, with no allegation of continued sexual contact with any complainant.

“Since then he has become part of a strong family unit with his wife and three young children and has been a hard-working man trying to support his family.”

She added that Jamil is now taking anti-psychotic medication to treat possible paranoid schizophrenia.

ZEESHAN AHMED

ZEESHAN Ahmed has been described as an “immature and insecure” man with a history of family breakdown.

The 28-year-old was found guilty of two charges of having sexual activity with a child in relation to Girl 5 and Girl 6, who were both under 16.

Ahmed, of Palmer Road, Wood Farm, is unemployed and had no previous convictions.

His barrister James Mulholland QC said his client was not in the same category as most of his fellow defendants and “no physical violence” was involved in his crimes.

Mr Mulholland added that Ahmed dropped out of school before completing his A-Levels, had taken a foundation course at university but not completed it, and had been reduced to living in bedsits by the time of his offences.

He said: “He has a personality disorder that clearly impacts him and he had a very difficult history.

“He and his family fell out. An arranged marriage was made and he went through with it at the request of his father.

“That marriage ended in divorce and led to substance abuse which led to clinical depression.

“The family ejected him from the home and really he was left without any form of connection with individuals in that area.”

MOHAMMED KARRAR

MOHAMMED Karrar refused to leave his cell for the sentencing hearing.

The 38-year-old was convicted of the serious sexual abuse of Girl 4 from the age of 11.

He got her pregnant aged 12, took her for an illegal abortion, abused her with a baseball bat, and arranged for her to be gang-raped to make money.

Yesterday his lawyer Tracy Ayling said it would not be “realistic” to think the judge would not consider Karrar as dangerous and give him an extended sentence.

She said: “The defendant fully accepts he will receive a lengthy custodial sentence.”

But she asked Judge Peter Rook to consider an extended sentence rather than a life sentence so there was some “finality”.

She said: “It enables a finality to be put on the sentence so there will be a date of release which is good both for victim and for defendant.”

And Miss Ayling said Karrar was most worried about the effect of his sentence on his family, including his elderly parents.

She said: “Mr Karrar will probably see the death of his parents in custody.”

And she said he had four children, adding: “He will miss their childhood and their growing up.”

Miss Ayling also disputed a note in the pre-sentence report which claimed Karrar was a danger to other prisoners, including a co-defendant.

Karrar, of Kames Close in Cowley, was also guilty of abusing Girl 3.

He was convicted of seven rapes, four counts of conspiracy to rape, two of sex trafficking, two of arranging child prostitution, a serious sexual assault, using an instrument to procure a miscarriage, and supplying a Class A drug.

BASSAM KARRAR

BASSAM Karrar played a less serious role in the abuse than his older brother, his defence lawyer argued.

Karrar was convicted of abusing Girl 3 and 4. The 34-year-old raped Girl 4 at the same time as his brother Mohammed and arranged for her to be raped for money. She was under 13 when the abuse started.

He also raped Girl 3 when she was 14 at the Nanford Guest House in Iffley Road.

His barrister Mark Milliken-Smith said the crimes were not of the “utmost gravity” to lead to a life sentence.

And he said there was little evidence suggesting Bassam had worked “as a team” with his brother to exploit the girls.

He acknowledged Karrar’s “serious” crimes but said: “It’s a matter of degree.”

The defence lawyer also said Karrar had a full employment record with companies including housing associations and Vodafone.

He also said Karrar had no previous convictions related to the sex crimes, adding: “There is no pattern.”

Karrar, of Hundred Acres Close in Cowley, was found guilty of three rapes, three counts of conspiracy to rape, two of arranging child prostitution, and trafficking for sexual exploitation.