Three Members of UK Grooming Gang Jailed for Abusing Teenage Girls Make a Request That Some People Say Should Be Rejected Because of How the Gang Abused the Girls in Cars, Houses and Other Places

Three members of a grooming gang who were jailed for sexually abusing teenage girls in North Wales are now trying to challenge their convictions in court.

The gang, made up of four men and one woman, was sentenced to a total of 81 years in prison in September after being found guilty of serious crimes against three teenage girls.

The victims were aged between 14 and 16 when the abuse took place in Rhyl and nearby areas between April 2022 and March 2024.

During the trial, the court heard how the gang targeted vulnerable girls who were described by the judge as “easy prey”. The teenagers were sexually abused and exploited in different locations, including houses, cars and business premises.

The gang’s leader, Mustafa Iqbal, was described by the judge as a man with an extremely strong and seemingly uncontrollable desire for sex. He was also involved in drug dealing and played a major role in the abuse.

The court heard that one of his accomplices, Sarah Gray, allowed Iqbal to rape one of the victims inside her home in exchange for cocaine. The judge strongly criticised her actions, saying she had effectively sold her soul to him.

The other members of the gang were Mohamed Arshad, Jaswinder Singh and Ziaullah Badshah.

After a lengthy investigation and trial, the gang members were convicted in August of several serious offences, including rape, sexual assault, human trafficking, drug offences and forcing victims into activities against their will.

However, three of the convicted men are now asking the Court of Appeal to review their cases.

Mustafa Iqbal, 43, from Trellewelyn Road in Rhyl, has challenged both his conviction and the length of his prison sentence.

He was found guilty of four counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and several offences involving human trafficking and forced labour.

He was also convicted of making victims take part in sexual activities without their consent, supplying illegal drugs and breaking an order designed to prevent slavery and human trafficking.

Iqbal received the longest prison sentence among the gang members and was jailed for 30 years.

Mohamed Arshad, 36, from Clifton Grove in Rhyl, has also submitted an appeal against his conviction.

He was found guilty of three counts of rape, two counts of conspiracy to traffic people, two counts of conspiracy to force people into labour and supplying cannabis.

Arshad was sentenced to 19 years in prison.

The third man seeking to challenge his conviction is Ziaullah Badshah, 25, from Brighton Road in Rhyl.

Badshah was convicted of two counts of rape, two counts of conspiracy to traffic people, two counts of conspiracy to force people into labour and supplying cannabis.

He was jailed for 17 years.

The three men are now hoping that judges will allow them to take their cases further.

However, submitting an appeal does not automatically mean their convictions will be overturned or their prison sentences reduced.

Judges at the Court of Appeal must first examine the reasons given by the men and their lawyers.

They will consider whether there were any legal mistakes during the original trial or whether new evidence has emerged that could affect the convictions.

If the judges believe there are reasonable grounds for an appeal, they may give permission for the cases to proceed to a full hearing.

At that stage, two or three appeal court judges would examine the arguments before deciding whether the convictions or sentences should remain unchanged.

For now, the three men remain convicted of their offences, and their prison sentences still stand.

The case attracted attention because of the young ages of the victims and the serious nature of the abuse they suffered.

The court heard how the gang took advantage of vulnerable teenage girls, using drugs, manipulation and exploitation to carry out their crimes over almost two years.