Man denies knowingly having sex with underage girls

Yesterday Ahmed Hassan-Sule gave evidence for the first time in the Oxford Crown Court trial of seven men alleged to have groomed eight teenage girls.

The prosecution say he was a leading member of a group known locally as ‘BB or B2’ between 2011 and 2013 who organised parties for under-18s.

He is on trial with Said Saleh, 20, of Orchard Way; Mohamed Saleh, 21, of Orchard Way; Takudzwa Hova, 21, of Broughton Road; Kagiso Manase, 26, of Warwick Road; Alexandru Nae, 19, of Broome Way; and a 17-year-old who cannot be named.

They deny 26 charges, including 19 counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, three counts of rape and two counts of sexual assault.

Hassan-Sule, 20, of Glyndebourne Gardens, replied “no” when asked by defence barrister Michael Magarian QC whether he had sex with a complainant when she was 14.

Hassan-Sule said the girl was “manipulative” and there had been “no direct contact” between them.

Hassan-Sule admitted having sex with one 15-year-old girl, who later gave birth to his child, but only on one occasion when he thought she was 16.

Mr Magarian asked: “Did you necessarily question girls closely about their ages?”

His client replied: “No, not really, no.

“When I hung around with girls I didn’t hang around with them for any sexual relationship or anything, it was just friends.”

Asked why he initially told the police he had not had sex with her he replied: “I was really scared.”

Mr Magarian asked: “Do you have any interest in girls because they are underage?”

The defendant replied: “Nah, nah.”

The trial continues.

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