TEN men have been convicted of rape by a jury at Bradford Crown Court.
The judge described some of those found guilty today as "insolent, arrogant and disrespectful" after they were unanimously convicted this afternoon.
The Recorder of Bradford Judge Roger Thomas QC said the behaviour of some of the 14 defendants was the worst he has seen in 40 years of legal practice.
He told them they had “quite frankly treated these proceedings with a certain amount of contempt and arrogance.”
The public gallery had to be cleared halfway through the delivery of the verdicts because of a disturbance and the amount of noise being made.
Troubled girl at centre of rape case was easy prey for her abusers
Fifteen dock officers flanked the defendants in court today and four uniformed officers were also in the packed court room.
Thirteen males denied raping a vulnerable girl, aged 13 to 14, between May, 2011, and June, 2012, during a five week trial. A 14th defendant was accused of sexual activity with a child.
Today the following verdicts were returned.
Yasser Kabir, 25, of Belgrave Road, Keighley, was found guilty on three charges of rape.
Kabir's half-brother, Tauqeer (also known as Toki) Hussain, 23, of Belgrave Road, Keighley, was found guilty of three charges of rape - which included a second victim.
Sufyan (Sufy) Ziarab, 22, of Kendal Mellor Court, Keighley, was convicted of two counts of rape.
His brother, Bilal (Billy or Browny) Ziarab, 21, of Sedgwick Close, Manningham, Bradford, was also found guilty on two rape charges.
Israr Ali (Sari), 19, of Devonshire Street West, Keighley, was found guilty on one rape charge.
Nazir Khan (Khany), 23, of Buxton Street, Keighley, was found guilty of rape.
Faisal Khan (Buller) 27, of Buxton Street, Lawkholme, Keighley, was convicted on one rape charge.
Faisal Khan
Hussain Sardar (Dolly) 19, of Bradford Street, Lawkholme, Keighley, was found guilty on one rape charge.
Saqib Younis (Saqi Butcher), 29, of Bradford Street, Lawkholme, Keighley, was found guilty of one rape charge.
Saqib Younis
Zain Ali (Droopy), 20, of Buxton Street, Keighley, was convicted on one rape charge.
Taxi driver Mohammed Akram, 63, of Holker Street, Keighley, was found guilty of sexual activity with a child under 16, when he was 59 and she was 14.
He had sex with her in his cab.
A 12th man, Khalid Mahmood, 34, care of Ashfield Prison, pleaded guilty to five charges of rape before the trial, we can now report.
The judge requested "across the board" probation reports and all 12 will be sentenced on February 5. All were told they must sign the sex offenders register for life.
Rohail Iqbal, 22, of Skipton Road, Beechcliffe, Keighley; Rohail Hussain, 18, of Hawk Street, Lawkholme, Keighley and a 17-year-old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were all cleared of any charges and discharged from the dock.
Senior officer in Keighley multiple rape case describes "challenging" investigation
The teenager, who was reported missing from home 71 times, was abused in the grounds of Cliffe Castle, at Burgess Fields, behind the library and the leisure centre, in the Stockbridge Tunnel subway and in the underground car park at the town's former police station.
Judge Thomas praised the “painstaking investigation” by police, who he said did all they could to help the victim until a protection order was made and she was removed from the area.
As the jury was discharged, its members were told they would be exempt from jury service for 15 years.
• Two people were arrested after the court’s public gallery was cleared, following the disturbance during the hearing today.
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