Five people found guilty of child sexual exploitation

Four men and one woman have been found guilty of child sexual exploitation offences in Sheffield.

Brothers Christopher, Matthew and Shane Whiteley, and Amanda Spencer and Taleb Bapir were convicted of a total of 15 counts relating to five victims after a seven-week-long trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

The brothers and their associates targeted vulnerable young girls in the Sheffield area between 2005 and 2012.

The girls were given drink, drugs and gifts, before being forced to have sex with members of the group and strangers.   They were also threatened and subjected to violence

Peter Mann, from the CPS, said:

“These defendants cynically targeted and sexually exploited young and vulnerable girls. It is hard to comprehend the magnitude of suffering they must have endured.

“The guilty verdicts returned today are a testament to the courage of the victims in coming forward and giving evidence against their abusers. 

“This case was very complex and involved months of painstaking analysis.  With the victims’ help the CPS was able to build a strong prosecution case against these defendants, resulting in today’s verdicts.”

 

--ENDS--

 

Notes to editors

1. Peter Mann is Head of the Complex Casework Unit at CPS Yorkshire and Humberside.

2. The defendants were found guilty at an earlier hearing, but reporting restrictions have been in place until today. 

3. The group will be sentenced on 28^thApril at Sheffield Crown Court.

Verdicts

Christopher Whiteley: Guilty of four charges of rape, one charge of conspiracy to cause or incite child prostitution, two charges of sexual assault of a child under 13, and one charge of theft.  Not guilty of ten other charges.

Shane Whiteley:  Guilty of one charge of conspiracy to cause or incite child prostitution. Not guilty of two other charges.

Matthew Whiteley: Guilty of one charge of conspiracy to cause or incite child prostitution.  Not guilty of three other charges.

Amanda Spencer: Guilty of four charges of arranging or facilitating child prostitution.  Not guilty of 15 other charges.

Taleb Bapir: Guilty of one charge of rape.