A gang of seven Somali men face 46 charges of rape, sexual assault, rape of a child under the age of 13, trafficking for sexual exploitation and false imprisonment of several young girls, at least one believed to be only 12 years old.
Court proceedings against the men went forth this week – and the testimony is ugly.
“The vulnerable youngsters, some who as young as 12, were allegedly subjected to ‘degrading, violent and horrible’ abuse and coaxed with drugs and alcohol, where the men pestered the girls ‘again and again’ for sex.
“Anna Vigars, part of the prosecution, told the court some of the girls believed they were in a relationship with the men and were deemed vulnerable.
“The rapes became part of a regular routine, with the girls being viewed as ‘cheap and easy’ by the men, according to prosecutors.”
The men, meanwhile, deny the charges.
They are Sakariya Sheikh, 23, Abdirahman Galal, 26, Mohammed Osman, 29, Mohammed Dahir, 24, Nuridin Mohamoud, 22, Abdirashid Abdulahi, 23, and Nasir Mahamoud, 23.
“The court heard that Mr Sheikh systematically raped one of girls with another man in the flat.
“Mr. Galal allegedly raped a girl who had just had her 12 year old birthday the month before, leaving the youngster feeling ‘dirty,’ the jury heard.
“The bulk of the alleged offences took place between 2011 and 2012 against girls who travelled to Bristol to meet the men.
“Ms. Viggers added that the group of girls ‘suffered sexual abuse, some of it violent, degrading and horrible, some of it less so.’
“The majority of the alleged offences had been committed on one girl.
“Ms. Vigars said some of the men ‘gave her drugs and alcohol and used her again and again for sex’ and broke the young girl down ‘into submission and sometimes by using physical violence.’
“One of the alleged victims kept a coded diary of her abuse, leaving messages in her book giving references to intercourse and oral sex with the different men.
“Some of the men accused say they do not know the girls.”
The trial is continuing on Thursday, the
news outlet reported.
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