Rapist who attacked girl in alleyway jailed

A man who raped a teenage girl in an alleyway more than two decades ago, has been jailed for five years.

According to the National Crime Agency (NCA), Waleed Ali attacked the girl, 14, sometime between 2003 and 2004 in Rotherham town centre.

Ali, who was in his 20s at the time, had targeted the victim who was sitting alone at a water fountain and forced her into an alleyway, where he raped her.

The defendant, who had a previous conviction for raping a girl, 13, in the same alleyway, denied the offence but was found guilty by a jury at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday.

Ali, 42 and of Normanby Road, Scunthorpe, was brought before the courts as part of Operation Stovewood, the NCA’s investigation into historic allegations of sexual abuse in Rotherham.

The victim told officers Ali and a group of men approached her when she was sitting by herself in Rotherham town centre.

She said Ali asked her to go into a nearby alleyway with him but when she repeatedly refused, he grabbed her by her arm and tried to force her to her feet.

Intimidated by Ali and the men, she went into the dark alleyway, where Ali raped her.

The NCA arrested and interviewed Ali in September 2021, where he denied the crime, saying he felt “sick” over the allegation.

In addition to his five-year jail term, Ali was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Senior investigating officer, Stuart Cobb, said: “For 21 years the victim suffered in silence but her brave testimony combined with our investigative work has ensured her attacker faced justice.

“I urge anyone who is a victim of child sexual abuse, no matter how long ago the abuse occurred, to seek support and, if they feel ready, report it to the police, who have officers specially trained to investigate such cases.”

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