Sexually abusing Rotherham girls - Seven men found guilty

Home » News & Knowledge » Historic Abuse: Seven men found guilty of sexually abusing Rotherham girls in care

Seven men have been found guilty of a string of sex offences against young girls in care in the early 2000s.

This week, Sheffield Crown Court heard how two teenage girls, who were aged between 11 and 16 at the time, were often picked up from their children’s home in Rotherham, plied with cannabis and alcohol and raped or sexually assaulted.

Sexually abusing Rotherham girls

The court heard how the attacks took place at locations around Rotherham, in a park, in a car in a supermarket car park, in a cemetery, even behind a children’s nursery.

In one case one of the girls was taken to a hotel where she was raped by two men. On another occasion the same girl was locked inside one of her abuser’s homes, raped on at least two occasions, and only managed to escape by climbing out of a window.

The trial of the men, at Sheffield Crown Court, was the result of a five-year investigation by officers from the National Crime Agency’s Operation Stovewood.

Following a nine-week trial at Sheffield Crown Court, seven men were found guilty of a series of offences on Wednesday 5 June. All seven were remanded in custody until sentencing, which is due to take place on 12 and 13 September 2024. An eighth man was cleared of rape.

NCA Senior Investigating Officer Stuart Cobb said:

“The evidence we heard from these victims was some of the most harrowing we have come across, and the offences involved some of the most serious yet investigated by officers working on Operation Stovewood.

“I pay tribute to the bravery of these two victims in coming forward and telling their stories. It was key to getting these convictions and I hope they feel that justice has finally been done.”

“What happened to them was appalling. Their attackers were cruel, manipulative men, who thought it was fine to take advantage of vulnerable young girls and dehumanise their victims in the worst possible ways.

“We are determined to do all we can to support and seek justice for victims like them, and track down the perpetrators of abuse, no matter the passage of time.”

Operation Stovewood

The guilty verdicts mean that 33 people have now been convicted of offences following investigations by the NCA’s Operation Stovewood, which is looking at allegations of abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.

It remains the single largest investigation of its kind in the UK, with more than 1,150 potential victims identified.

Zoe Becker, Legal Manager for the CPS, said:

“These seven men knew that these young girls could be exploited – they targeted the victims and, using drugs and alcohol, groomed them for sex.

“These defendants waged a campaign of violence against the two girls, who had to endure some of the most traumatic abuse on multiple occasions.

“We are grateful to the victims who came forward and gave evidence about the horrific abuse they suffered. This has been a complex and long investigation, and it is because of their fortitude that we have been able to bring these offenders to justice.

“This is the largest case prosecuted under Operation Stovewood this year. I hope this conviction sends a clear message that the CPS, working alongside law enforcement, will relentlessly pursue justice and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, whenever that abuse took place.

“I encourage any victims of child sexual abuse and sexual violence to report the crimes committed against them. It is never too late to seek justice – you are not alone and there is help available.”

Historic sexual abuse claims

Historic abuse, or ‘non-recent abuse’ refers to offences that took place when you were a child or young adult. However, although the abuse might have occurred many years ago, it is not too late to pursue a claim.

We understand that sexual and physical abuse can be difficult to talk about. Many individuals are unable to disclose the abuse at the time, even to close family or friends.

It does not matter if the abuse happened many years ago, you may still be able to claim. You should seek legal advice as soon as possible. Our experienced team will be able to assess your claim and advise you for free.

If we decide that you have a claim that can be pursued, you can then decide whether you want to proceed. We pride ourselves on our high level of legal knowledge in this specialist area.

It is also extremely important to us that you have a clear understanding of your claim, the chances of success and the amount of damages that you may receive.

Where might the abuse occur?

Institutional child sexual abuse

In some cases, if the abuse has occurred within an organisational setting, for example, an after-school club or within a religious setting, this might be referred to as Institutional child sexual abuse.

Some examples of this include the following (however, this list is not exhaustive):

School staff attacking pupils
Young people abused in children’s homes
Football coaches preying on children in their coaching teams
Youth group leaders singling out children (often on trips away from home)
Religious staff attacking children
Doctors or hospital staff

Will I need to go to court?

Claims of this nature are often settled, and compensation is recovered without going to court. This is because, in England and Wales, we have two different legal systems that run side by side – the criminal justice system and the civil court.

The Criminal Justice System deals solely with the prosecution of criminal offences and results in criminal sanctions such as prison sentences or community service. Whereas civil claims award monetary damages to the victim if their case is proven.

Criminal Justice System vs Civil cases – What’s the difference?

The Criminal Justice System deals solely with the prosecution of criminal offences. Cases are brought by the Crown (the King or ‘R’ as you will often see on the paperwork you may receive) against the accused individual (the Defendant).

The Police investigate the crime and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) assess the evidence and decides whether charges can be brought. If a person is charged with a criminal offence, the lawyers who bring the claim work for the CPS. The accused person will have their own criminal solicitor to advise and act for them.

If you are involved in a criminal case as you were the victim of an assault, you will be a witness in the case. If the accused person admits the assaults, you will not need to go to court and give evidence about what happened and the court case will focus solely on the punishment the abuser should receive.

If the abuser pleads not guilty to the offences against you, then it is likely you will be called as a witness to give evidence in court.

Civil claims

In a civil claim, on the other hand, the decision whether to bring the claim is yours. If you decide to peruse a claim you will be the Claimant and the person you bring the claim against will be the Defendant.

Unlike the criminal process – in a civil claim, the Defendant will rarely be the person who abused you and will more likely be a company or organisation that employed that person.

You are much less likely to have to give evidence in court in a civil claim as over 95% of civil cases will conclude before any final court hearing.

How much compensation will I get?

Each claim is different. We will assess your claim and give you an idea at the outset of the likely compensation you can expect to receive.

A civil claim for sexual or physical abuse can include the following types of compensation:

General damages – An award of money for the abuse/assaults themselves, and for the pain, suffering and any psychological effects.
Special damages – An award for any specific financial losses we can prove, such as loss of earnings or the cost(s) of any treatment or counselling.
Aggravated damages – An additional award of money in certain cases, where the court considers that there has been additional distress caused by the manner in which the abuse occurred.

Should I make a historic abuse claim?

Before deciding on whether making a claim is the best option for you, it’s important to seek some initial legal advice about the merits. Here at Oakwood Solicitors, we offer a free assessment and would be happy to discuss this with you and no charge.

However, it is important to also consider the impact on your health that taking a claim forward may have.

Litigation can be a stressful process and may have an adverse impact on your health. We are not doctors, so we cannot give you medical advice, but are under a duty to advise you that pursuing a claim will be a reminder of the trauma of the abuse whilst the claim is ongoing and this may have an negative impact on your mental health.

Please also note that the only outcome of a successful claim is financial compensation. You may see the litigation as a mechanism for obtaining answers but the majority of cases settle out of Court, which may result in many of your questions remaining unanswered.

You may be advised by your doctors that by revisiting the trauma of the abuse you suffered may set you back in your recovery. The decision to proceed must be your own, in conjunction with your medical advisors.

If you agree to proceed forward with a claim, then our team will support you as best as they can and try and make the process as stressful as possible.

Historic Abuse: Seven men found guilty of sexually abusing Rotherham girls in care