Telford sex abuse trial: Teachers 'took no action over sex abuse rumours'

A woman who was allegedly sold for sex as a girl and abused has told a court no action was taken by teachers when rumours of it circulated at her school.

Giving evidence behind a curtain, she said they did not ask "if things were all right" when they heard rumours.

The woman told Birmingham Crown Court she was traded to men in Telford for sex in the early 2000s.

Mohammed Ali Sultan, Amjad Hussain, Shafiq Younas, Nazam Akhtar and Mohammad Rizwan deny wrongdoing.

"I would get called names," she said, after rumours spread at school that she was having sex with men.

The trial previously heard how she had "lost count" of how many men she was forced to have sex with after being groomed when she was 12 and then sold for sex.

Prosecutors said she was repeatedly raped on a dirty mattress above a takeaway and forced to perform sex acts in a churchyard.

At school, "there used to be like actions, with their hand, hand by their mouth" suggesting sex acts she said, which "just made me keep it to myself even more".

"Teachers heard people saying these things and not one teacher pulled me to the side and asked me if things were all right."

She said she came forward after recognising images of two alleged attackers, including Mr Ali Sultan, in reports about the Telford sex ring during Operation Chalice.

The jury heard that Mr Ali Sultan has previous convictions for similar offences against young girls, and the girl claimed he threatened her into keeping quiet.

"He knows what he did," she said, when challenged by his defence, "and I know".

Mr Sultan, 33, formerly from Telford, faces four charges of indecent assault and one of rape. The jury was told he already had convictions for "similar offences against young girls".

Mr Hussain, 38, of Acacia Drive, Leegomery, is accused of forcing the victim to perform oral sex on two occasions.

Mr Younas, 35, of Regent Street, Wellington, is accused of the same offence, said to have taken place in the same churchyard.

Mr Akhtar, 35, of Victoria Avenue, Wellington is accused of raping the girl in a lane, alongside Mr Sultan and Mr Hussain, and is also said to have urinated on her in an act of humiliation.

Mr Rizwan, 37, of Mafeking Road, Telford, faces two charges of indecent assault.

The trial continues.

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