Hunt for Rapists Convicted of Teenager's Abuse in Rotherham

Two men found guilty of raping a teenage girl who was groomed, trafficked and exploited in Rotherham 20 years ago are on the run, the National Crime Agency (NCA) has said. Mudasar Hussain, 37, and Kamir Khan, 37, were convicted in their absence on Thursday at Sheffield Crown Court, along with Ghazanfar Hussain, 42, who was present at the trial.

Philip Marshall, from the NCA, stated that officers are determined to find the two missing men to ensure they serve their sentences. The men were prosecuted as part of Operation Stovewood, which targets grooming gangs in South Yorkshire who sexually abused and exploited children between 1997 and 2013.

Jurors heard that Mudasar Hussain and Khan plied a 14-year-old girl with alcohol and cannabis before raping her, with Ghazanfar Hussain also raping the teenager. Mudasar Hussain was convicted of 12 counts of rape, his brother was convicted of one count of rape, and Khan was convicted of two counts of rape and one count of trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Marshall said officers have been working with partners, pursuing numerous lines of inquiry in the UK and overseas, to locate the two missing men. He appealed for anyone with information to report it. Melissa Garner, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said the men groomed a young and vulnerable girl with alcohol, drugs and gifts, causing her serious and lifelong harm.

Ghazanfar Hussain was remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday. Mudasar Hussain and Khan are also due to be sentenced on Friday in their absence.