Five in court on child sex ring charges

Five people from Shropshire have appeared in court in connection with a child sex ring allegedly involving nine teenage girls.

The defendants are alleged to have been part of a gang grooming girls aged between 13 and 15 for sex with other men.

Mohammed Sultan, 23, of Victoria Ave- nue, Wellington, Mohammed Yunis, 58, and Abdul Rouf, 33, both of Kingsland, Arleston, are all charged with conspiring with others to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity between January 1, 2008, and December 7, 2009, in Shrewsbury or elsewhere in the country. Sultan is also charged with intentionally arranging and facilitating travel for a person carrying out a relevant off- ence in Telford or elsewhere in the country.

Ahdel Ali, 22, of Regent Street, Wellington, is charged with trafficking persons within the UK for sexual exploitation, conspiring with a female of 13 years or older to engage in sexual activity, supplying a Class A drug and supplying a Class B drug.

Mubarek Ali, 26, also of Regent Street, Wellington, Telford, is charged with trafficking persons within the UK for sexual exploitation and conspiring with a female of 13 years or older to engage in sexual activity.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court today Sultan, Ahdel Ali and Mubarek Ali were remanded in custody. Rouf and Yunis were granted bail. A plea and case management hearing was fixed for June 4.