Man convicted of historic sexual abuse of Rotherham schoolgirl

By Sally Smith

Published August 01, 2024In: Child Abuse, Child Abuse - Grooming Gangs

The National Crime Agency have secured another conviction in relation to historic sexual abuse of children in Rotherham in the early 2000’s. The conviction is part of Operation Stovewood, the investigation into child sexual abuse and exploitation in the town in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Shahid Hussain, fled the country in 2018 in an attempt to evade justice but was arrested in Bulgaria in 2023 pursuant to an European Arrest Warrant and extradited back to the UK where he was tried at Sheffield Crown Court.

Jurors found 48-year-old Hussain guilty of indecent assault after hearing he had forced his victim to perform a sex act in 2003. Hussain has been remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on 16 August.

NCA Senior Investigating Officer, Stuart Cobb, said: “Hussain carried out a vile attack on a vulnerable young girl and when he knew he was going to be held to account, he took the coward’s route by going on the run.”

Martin McRobb, Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, stated Hussain had "targeted a child and subjected her to a horrendous sexual assault" before trying to evade the law by leaving the country…I hope this conviction sends a clear message: sex offenders who flee abroad will not escape justice. We will continue to work collaboratively with international partners to ensure perpetrators are returned to face the full force of the law."

This case demonstrates that perpetrators of serious sexual offences can and will still be prosecuted even decades after offences were committed, and that they cannot escape justice by fleeing the country. We hope that it will reassure survivors that they will be believed if they report their abuse to the police.

It is known that similar abuse took place in towns and cities across the country and numerous police forces are actively investigating and prosecuting historic offences.

If you or someone you know have been affected by this sort of abuse in Rotherham or elsewhere and would like to have an informal chat then please get in touch and we will be happy to speak to you. There are a number of options available which include pursing a civil claim against public bodies such as the police or a local authority if they have failed to protect vulnerable children in their care, failed to properly investigate, or neglected to take adequate steps to stop the abuse.