Telford child sex abuse victim 'relieved, happy and sad' as abusers locked up

The men were sent to prison after a trial in which it was heard the victim was forced to perform sex acts in a churchyard, raped above a shop on a filthy mattress, and violently abused when she tried to refuse their advances.

"When I found out they'd been found guilty, I just sobbed," the victim told the Sunday Mirror.

"I was relieved, happy and sad, all at the same time."

In all, five men went on trial at Birmingham Crown Court, leading to convictions for four of the defendants while another was cleared.

Full coverage of the case:

• Police praise bravery of sex abuse victim

• Child sex gang jailed for abuse of teenage girl

• Four found guilty of abuse of girl which started when she was 13

• Three men convicted of sexually assaulting young girl

• One defendant cleared of girl's rape at cafe

• CSE trial: Inconclusive test results on passport, jury told

• Woman identified men accused in Telford child sex abuse case up to 17 years later

• Sex abuse victim says 'not one teacher' intervened when she was called names by pupils

• Court told how victim was 'passed around like a piece of meat'

Sentencing the group to between four-and-a-half and eight years on Thursday, the judge said the men had abused a "helpless" victim.

Addressing the ring-leader Mohammed Ali Sultan, Recorder of Birmingham, Judge Melbourne Inman QC, said: "The victim was clearly extremely frightened of you, and you exercised significant control over her."

Turning to the three other men, he said: "There were a group of you using this girl, you all tended to meet in the same type of areas; a churchyard, or near a pizza place."

The offences took place in Telford sometime between 2001 and 2002 and started when the victim, now an adult, was just 13.

The victim said she was assaulted by other unidentified males, with the abuse continuing until she was in her mid-teens, the jury heard.

She told the Sunday Mirror: "I did have doubts about whether I'd get justice after such a long time but when this sort of thing happens it's something you are never going to forget."

• Mohammed Ali Sultan, 33 and formerly of Telford, was sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted of rape and three counts of indecent assault. A sexual harm prevention order and restraining order were also imposed on him.

• Mohammad Rizwan, 37 and of Mafeking Road, Telford, was jailed for five-and-a-half years after being convicted of two counts of indecent assault.

• Shafiq Younas, 35 and of Regent Street, Wellington, was jailed for four-and-a-half years after being convicted of indecently assaulting the victim in a churchyard.

• Amjad Hussain, 38 and of Acacia Drive, Leegomery, was jailed for four-and-a-half years after being convicted of a single count of indecent assault.

• All the men must also sign the sex offenders register.