A Bradford solicitor who represented a defendant in the Liverpool sex grooming case is complaining to police after he was abused by a mob outside Court.

Alias Yousaf, of Chambers Solicitors, is writing to the Chief Constable of Merseyside about an incident at the start of the trial in February, when he and other Asian defence lawyers were confronted by far-right protesters outside the court building.

Mr Yousaf is also complaining to the Chief Constable, and the Attorney General, about claims information was leaked from the jury room while the jury was deliberating its verdicts.

Mr Yousaf was part of the legal team representing Adil Khan, 42, of Rochdale, who was jailed for eight years after he was convicted of conspiracy and trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation.

Nine Asian men, who groomed vulnerable white girls as young as 13 for sex, were jailed for a total of 77 years at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday.

Mr Yousaf said Khan’s legal team would be lodging an appeal on the basis that the integrity of the jury may have been compromised.

He said yesterday that on the first day of the trial he was leaving the court building at lunchtime with another solicitor, two barristers and an interpreter when they were confronted by up to 50 protesters. He said a barrister was punched or pushed, eggs were thrown and a bottle narrowly missed a lawyer. He said they had to be “frogmarched” back into the court by police.

Mr Yousaf said: “It was extremely frightening. These people were shouting, swearing and racially abusing us and were clearly utterly filled with hate.”

Some barristers withdrew from the case because of fears their safety could not be protected.

Mr Yousaf claimed there had “not been a single arrest” since the incident outside court. In response, Merseyside Police said ten arrests have been made.

Merseyside Assistant Chief Constable Chris Armitt said: “This has been a contentious trial and has attracted significant protest activity from right wing groups.

“The Force is committed to facilitating peaceful protest and lawful expressions of views by political parties and other groups. However, at the commencement of the trial the behaviour of some protesters was unacceptable and anti-social behaviour and disorder took place. As a result the tactics deployed by Merseyside Police became more robust and provision was put into place for members of the legal community to be given police escorts to and from the court.

“Extensive discussions also took place with right wing groups to make it clear to them that no protest activity which threatened the progress of the trial or the safety of those involved would be tolerated.”