Two men jailed for grooming and abusing two teenage girls in Bury
The market stall holders plied their victims with alcohol, drugs and money
Two men have been jailed for a total of 58 years - after being convicted of historic sexual exploitation of five teenage girls between 1996 and 2000.
Manzorr Hussain, 53, of Bury, and Imtiaz Ali, 53, of Radcliffe, were previously unanimously found guilty by a jury of 24 charges including rape and indecent assault.
The victims were aged between 13 and 16 at the time of the offences.
The men, who are cousins and worked on market stalls at the time, groomed vulnerable girls by offering them “alcohol, drugs, money, and lifts in their cars” before subjecting them to repeated sexual abuse in homes, vehicles and other locations across Bury and parts of Wales.
Police said the exploitation was “orchestrated and sustained”, with several victims threatened or coerced, and made to feel indebted to the men.
Hussain was convicted of seven counts of rape and six counts of indecent assault.
Ali was convicted of five counts of rape, five counts of indecent assault, and one attempted indecent assault.
The case began after one woman reported her experience to police in September 2018, leading officers to identify additional victims who were later interviewed and supported throughout the investigation.
‘Predatory behaviour’ exposed
Sergeant Daniel Whittaker, who led the investigation for Greater Manchester Police’s Bury division, said: “This case represents a harrowing example of predatory behaviour by two men who deliberately targeted vulnerable children.
“The offenders were plying the victims with alcohol and drugs and taking them to numerous locations before sexually abusing and assaulting them.
“They exploited their positions of trust and manipulated the girls into believing they were in relationships, while in reality they were being used for sexual gratification.
“Hussain and Ali have faced long-awaited justice for their crimes after victims courageously gave testimony in court and continued to support our dedicated investigation.
“The bravery shown by the victims in coming forward and reliving their trauma has been instrumental in securing these convictions. We commend their courage and hope this outcome brings some measure of justice and closure.”
Strong evidence helped secure convictions
During the trial, prosecutors presented a detailed case comprised of video interviews, witness testimony and historic records from social services and schools that corroborated the victims’ accounts.
Claire Brinton, Specialist Prosecutor for the CPS, said: “Manzorr Hussain and Imtiaz Ali exploited five vulnerable teenage girls, grooming them with alcohol and drugs before subjecting them to appalling sexual abuse.
“The defendants deliberately targeted children they knew they could exploit and treated them as objects to be passed around for their own and others’ sexual gratification. They showed a callous disregard for the girls’ welfare and used manipulation, force, threats and fear to control them and make them comply with their sick demands.
“These women have demonstrated remarkable bravery in coming forward, remaining engaged with the legal process, and reliving deeply traumatic experiences from over two decades ago. I would like to thank all of them; I hope these convictions can bring them some comfort.
“Our Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit, in collaboration with Greater Manchester Police, was able to use extensive evidence to build a comprehensive picture of their offending to present to a jury who found them guilty and delivered the justice these women deserved.”