Historic Abuse: 28 Sexual Predators Jailed in West Yorkshire

Twenty eight sexual predators who preyed on vulnerable females in Kirklees have been given jail sentences totalling almost 400 years.

A further two men were sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on July 31 as part of Kirklees Police’s long running Operation Tourway investigation into non recent sexual abuse.

Ebrahim Pandor and Amjad Hussain were both sentenced for offences committed against a single female victim in Kirklees between the years 2004 and 2012.

Pandor (44) from Dewsbury was sentenced to six years for an offence of the trafficking of a child and Hussain (45) from Dewsbury was sentenced in his absence to ten years for an offence of rape.

Trafficking

Leeds Crown Court heard that the female victim in the latest case had been trafficked by Pandor when she was aged between 13 and 14 and later raped by Hussain at the age of 18.

Operation Tourway itself has been a long running investigation into the sexual abuse and trafficking of eight female victims in North Kirklees between 1999 and 2012.

During trials, juries heard repeated stories about how vulnerable victims were targeted and groomed by their abusers who treated them almost as commodities.

Court cases have resulted in several of the defendants receiving individual jail sentences of more than 20 years in prison with one jailed for 30 years.

Detective Chief Inspector Oliver Coates of Kirklees District Police, said:

“During trials for Operation Tourway,  juries have heard some shocking accounts of how badly these young women were abused, and this is reflected in the significant sentences handed down by the court.  

“The simple fact that 28 men have been sentenced to almost 400 years in jail between them, speaks volumes for the depravity of some of the acts committed by them.

“Clearly we welcome the sentencing of both Pandor and Amjad Hussain today. “The length of time between offences in this particular case illustrates the sheer hold defendants were able to exert on victims and the depth of the grooming the victim in this case, and in others like it, suffered.    

“I want to thank her and praise her courage for coming forwards in her 30s to make us aware of this dreadful offending and then in proving so resolute in helping us secure justice.  

“That same courage was displayed by all of the women who featured in these awful cases and given evidence to help convict these men.”  

He added:

“Clearly it is a matter of regret that Hussain was sentenced in his absence today and enquiries do continue to locate this convicted sex offender.

“Officers have been working with partner agencies to locate him and are keeping an open mind as to his whereabouts.  

“Anyone who has any information which may assist our enquiries to locate him is asked to contact 101, quoting crime reference 13220461849.  

“Information can be given online at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/livechat  or anonymously to the independent Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.”   

Historical Sexual Abuse Compensation

If you are a survivor of abuse in the past, whether that be sexual abuse or physical assault, you may be entitled to claim compensation for the impact it had upon your health.

A claim can be made for the physical impact to your health but also, an often more importantly, it can also be made for any damage it may have caused to your mental health. Compensation can be claimed for personal injury and also any financial losses you may have suffered as a result of your ill health.

Where might historic abuse occur?

Historic abuse is also known as “non-recent abuse” or “non-accidental abuse” and relates to any physical, sexual or emotional attack inflicted on a person. These attacks may have taken place in a single incident or be repeated over some time.

Historic abuse commonly occurs when the attacker holds a position of power over the victim.

Institutional child sexual abuse

In some cases, if the abuse has occurred within an organisational setting, for example, an after-school club or within a religious setting, this might be referred to as Institutional child sexual abuse.

Some examples of this include the following (however, this list is not exhaustive).

• School staff attacking pupils
• Young people abused in children’s homes
• Football coaches preying on children in their coaching teams
• Youth group leaders singling out children (often on trips away from home)
• Religious staff attacking children
• Doctors or hospital staff

Should I make a claim?

Before deciding on whether making a claim is the best option for you, it’s important to seek some initial legal advice about the merits. Here at Oakwood Solicitors, we offer a free assessment and would be happy to discuss this with you and no charge.

If you find a Solicitor who is of the view that your claim does have merits, then it is important to also consider the impact to your health that taking a claim forward may have.

Litigation can be a stressful process and may have an adverse impact on your health. We are not doctors, so we cannot give you medical advice, but are under a duty to advise you that pursuing a claim will be a reminder of the trauma of the abuse whilst the claim is ongoing and this may have an negative impact on your mental health.

Please also note that the only outcome to a successful claim is financial compensation. You may see the litigation as a mechanism for obtaining answers but the majority of cases settle out of Court, which may result in many of your questions remaining unanswered.

You may be advised by your doctors that by revisiting the trauma of the abuse you suffered may set you back in your recovery. The decision to proceed must be your own, in conjunction with your medical advisors.

If you agree to proceed forward with a claim, then our team will support you as best as they can and try and make the process as stressful as possible.

How much compensation will I get?

Each claim is different. We will assess your claim and give you an idea at the outset of the likely compensation you can expect to receive.

A civil claim for sexual or physical abuse can include the following types of compensation:

• General damages – An award of money for the abuse/assault(s) themselves and for the pain, suffering and any psychological effects.
• Special damages – An award for any specific financial losses we can prove, such as loss of earnings or the costs of any treatment or counselling.
• Aggravated damages – An additional award of money in certain cases where the court considers that there has been additional distress caused by the manner in which the abuse occurred.

How will my case be funded?

The majority of abuse claims are funded by a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This is also known as a ‘no-win, no-fee’ agreement.

The way these agreements work means that you do not have to pay anything to us upfront. If you successfully recover damages, the majority of your costs will be paid by the other side.

You may have to contribute to costs out of any compensation recovered, but this will not be more than 25%.

We may advise you to take out After the Event (ATE) Insurance in your claim, depending on the case. If we consider that it should be taken out, we will discuss this in detail with you.

Any ATE premium will only be payable if you win and will not need to be paid until the end of the claim.

Why choose Oakwood Solicitors Ltd?

At Oakwood Solicitors, we have dedicated lawyers with over 20 years of experience, acting for survivors of sexual and physical abuse.

We understand how difficult it can be to bring a claim, and we are committed to dealing with your case in a sensitive way.

You will have a dedicated solicitor who will deal with your claim from start to finish, and who will be able to speak to you at times convenient to you – even if this is outside our normal office hours.

Further reading

Claims against individuals – Oakwood Solicitors

Historic abuse claims – Oakwood Solicitors

WHAT TO DO NEXT

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