CPS News Brief

Three men convicted of indecent assault of a child in 1990s

Three men who indecently assaulted a child in Rotherham over a number of years during the 1990s have been convicted today (16 November).

Sajid Ali, Zaheer Iqbal and Riaz Makhmood befriended the 13-year-old girl, offering her alcohol in exchange for sexual activity, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

The victim believed Ali, Iqbal and Makhmood were her friends, and that Ali was her boyfriend, but instead was passed around each defendant and abused.

The offences happened in the mid-nineties - when Ali, Iqbal and Makhmood were approximately 15 to 18 years old - but were not reported to the police until 2014.

Tarryn McCaffrey, from the CPS, said: “Ali, Iqbal and Makhmood groomed the victim to make her believe she was their friend.

“Far from acting as friends, they used her vulnerability to force her to perform sex acts on them on a number of occasions after giving her alcohol.

“All three denied indecent assault but the case put forward by the CPS, including evidence from the victim and proof that the defendants knew each other and continued to visit each other after one left the area, saw them convicted by the jury.

“This case demonstrates how the passage of time is not a barrier to pursuing sexual offenders and I would like to pay tribute to the victim who found the strength to come forward and support this prosecution.”

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Notes to editors

• Tarryn McCaffrey is a Specialist Prosecutor in the International Justice and Organised Crime Division at the Crown Prosecution Service.
• Sajid Ali denied seven counts of indecent assault, Zaheer Iqbal denied five counts of indecent assault and Riaz Makhmood denied three counts of indecent assault. All were convicted by a jury.

Man convicted of deliberately infecting partners with HIV

A man who deliberately infected at least five sexual partners with HIV has been convicted of causing grievous bodily harm today (15 November).

Darryll Rowe, 27, was also convicted of five counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent following a trial at Lewes Crown Court.

The court heard how Rowe embarked on a campaign of unprotected sexual activity following his HIV diagnosis in Scotland in April 2015.

Later that year, Rowe moved to Brighton and, over a four-month period, had sexual relationships with eight men in the area, whom he met online.

After his initial interview with the police, Rowe was bailed with a requirement to live outside Brighton and moved to Berwick-upon-Tweed, where he went on to have unprotected sex with another two men, using a pseudonym to ensure they did not find out his identity.

His victims asked whether he had HIV and, each time he was asked, he lied and told them he was HIV negative before insisting on unprotected sexual intercourse. On occasions where the men insisted that Rowe use a condom, he deliberately sabotaged them.

Nigel Pilkington, from the CPS, said:

“Rowe embarked on a deliberate campaign to infect other men with HIV after being told of his positive test. He had been advised to notify all sexual partners of his HIV positive status.

“He repeatedly lied to his victims, telling them he did not have the virus, and even stated in police interviews that he was HIV negative. 

“Where his victims would not engage in unprotected sex, Rowe deliberately sabotaged the condoms he wore and afterwards sent the men abusive and mocking messages.

“The CPS presented a compelling case to the jury, demonstrating how Rowe knew exactly what he was doing and intended to do serious harm to his victims. They bravely came forward to report what had happened to them and, thanks to their support, we have been able to bring Rowe to justice.”

Rowe will be sentenced in due course.

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Notes to Editors

·         Nigel Pilkington is Temporary Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS South-East

Pensioner jailed for huge weapons cache

A man who was found with 160 firearms including machine guns, rifles and shotguns at his home in Kent has been jailed for five years today (15 November).

The weapons, along with 126 rounds of ammunition, were found by firefighters who were called to tackle a blaze at the property in Gillingham on 7 May this year.

Police recovered weapons including machine guns, sub machine guns, revolvers, pistols, rifles and shotguns.

Paul Bushell, 74, pleaded guilty to six charges of possessing a prohibited weapon, one charge of possession of a prohibited firearm and six charges of possessing ammunition without a firearms certificate at an earlier hearing at Maidstone Crown Court.

Sarah Dineley, from the CPS, said:

“These weapons were not locked away and were kept loaded in a house that children visited regularly. The possible consequences were obvious and serious. Had the property been burgled, they could have easily fallen into the hands of criminals.

“They also posed a serious risk to the firefighters who attended the home, given the weapons were recovered from inside the fire-damaged room.”

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Notes to Editors

·         Sarah Dineley is a Senior District Crown Prosecutor with CPS South-East