A GROOMING gang of five men have been jailed for a combined almost 50 years for a raft of historic rape charges against a vulnerable girl.

The men, aged between 30 and 42, collectively appeared on a total of 14 counts of rape committed on the girl between March 2009 and March 2010.

The men would rape the same girl, described as 'extremely troubled and tormented', either individually, or together, often plying her with alcohol.

The sexually exploited girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was aged 15 at the time she was raped by the men.

These men drove the girl to parks, flats and isolated places in the Keighley area, where they raped her.

Hassan Syed Basharat, 32, of Highfield Road, Keighley, was jailed for 12 years for one count of rape and conspiring to rape with one of his co-defendants, Imran Sabir.

Baber Hussain, 36, of Thorn Lane, Heaton, was jailed for 13 years for seven counts of rape.

Omar Safdar, 30, who is already in prison, was jailed for 12 years for three counts of rape. He raped the victim in her own home on one occasion despite her asking him not to attend.

Imran Sabir, 42, of Spencer Street, Keighley, was jailed for 12 years for one count of rape, and conspiring to rape with Basharat.

The sentencing of a fifth man, Amjad Hussain, 35, of Adar Street, Keighley, also convicted of three charges of rape, was adjourned until March 15 as he did not have legal representation for today's hearing.

They were convicted following a seven-week trial, which ended in October last year.

In a victim impact statement, read out in court by Katherine Robinson, prosecuting, the victim said: "My life was horrible.

"I have had mental health struggles as an adult. I have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

"Because of what I have suffered, I feel like nice things have been taken away from me.

"I am the victim of abuse and that will never go away. I'm still suffering.

"This has been too much for me to bear now."

Judge Andrew Hatton said the men had 'preyed upon her vulnerability' when he sentenced them.

He said: "She became the victim of grooming and was groomed by a significant number of men.

"She is a young woman who has suffered at the hands of a great many men.

"These men took advantage of the girl's vulnerability. Her victim impact statement makes for deeply unpleasant reading.

"She has significant mental health difficulties and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.

"Each and every one of you involved at any stage bears part of the responsibility to the traumatic condition she is now in.

"The gross abuse she suffered at the hands of you and others like you is a significant factor in her mental state now.

"It has taken some time for the victim to come forward and have the courage to do so."

In mitigating for Basharat, the court heard he did not accept his offending in this case and has cared for his bedbound mother since 2017.

Mitigation for Baber Hussain included he has got married and now is father to two children.

Sabir's counsel said he was a 'man of outstanding good character' as described by those who acted as a referee for him.

Safdar's mitigating counsel said his family are extremely supportive of him and he 'does take his future seriously'. He added Safdar 'did not ply her with alcohol, they drank alcohol together'.

Meanwhile, Basharat was also jailed for a further eight months each for two charges of dangerous driving, in Reading, Berkshire, and Saltaire, in April 2020 and January 2021 respectively. This took his total sentence to 13 years and four months.

Speaking after the verdict, Ed Hulbert from the Crown Prosecution Service, praised the victim for her courage in coming forward to report her ordeal as a teenager.

He said: “These men cynically manipulated and ruthlessly exploited a young and vulnerable girl.

“They plied her with drugs and alcohol and abused her systematically and repeatedly. They raped her when she was alone and unprotected.

“They are now facing lengthy prison sentences.

“The victim has displayed immense courage and resilience in reporting these crimes and helping us to build a robust case to put before a jury. Our thoughts remain with her.”