Ten men charged with rape and child sex offences against two teen girls in ‘grooming’ probe in Rochdale

TEN men have been charged with rape and child sex offences following a probe into alleged grooming in Rochdale.

The defendants, who are from the Greater Manchester town, are accused of abusing two teenage girls between 2003 and 2008.

They are charged with 76 offences in total, Greater Manchester Police confirmed.

The men are due to appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court today.

They were held as part of Operation Lytton, which explores historical sex crimes against children.

The force said: “Officers are continuing to work alongside partners, including Rochdale Council, to provide a multi-agency response to safeguard those affected and ensure they are supported.”

Irfan Qurban, 43, has been charged with two counts of sexual activity with a girl, while Naveed Anwar, 38, is charged with three counts of sexual activity with an underage girl.

Amjad Mahmood, 51, is accused of seven counts of rape, two counts of gross indecency, five counts of sexual activity and two counts of assault by penetration.

He is also charged with two counts of indecent assault – all against an underage girl – two counts of causing/ inciting an underage girl to engage in sexual activity and two counts of trafficking people within the UK for sexual exploitation.

Gulnawaz Khan, 40, is charged with inciting an underage girl to commit an act of gross indecency, two counts of rape of an underage girl and two counts of sexual activity with an underage girl.

Arshad Mohammed, 53, is accused of meeting an underage girl following sexual grooming, two counts of rape of an underage girl, sexual activity with an underage girl, assault of an underage girl by penetration and rape of a woman.

Sheraz Hussain, 39, is charged with six counts of rape of an underage girl and six counts of sexual activity with an underage girl.

Mohammed Zahed, 36, is charged with six counts of sexual activity with an underage girl, while Khalid Mahmood, 39, is accused of rape of a woman and rape of an underage girl.

Mukhtar Hussain, 39, is accused of two counts of gross indecency, six counts of rape, five counts of sexual activity and unlawful sexual intercourse – all with an underage girl.

While Shakeel Ahmed, 40, is charged with three counts of rape of an underage girl and sexual activity with an underage girl.