Teenage girls raped after being ‘befriended’ by gang members in Rotherham
By Amy Clowrey
Three men have appeared at Sheffield Crown Court, charged with sexually assaulting two teenage girls.
The girls were regularly raped while they were living in a children’s home in Rotherham. Both were sexually assaulted several times a week over a period of six months by a gang of men who viewed them as ‘fresh meat’, the court was told.
Stefan Houphouet (37) denied four counts of rape and one count of assault by penetration. Absolom Sigiyo (41) denied four counts of rape, one of attempted rape and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. A third man, Jacek Brzozowski (35), denied inciting a child to engage in sexual activity but admitted penetrative sexual activity with a child.
The three men and other associates had ‘befriended’ the girls over 10 years ago, making them feel grown up and wanted.
Prosecutor Gordon Stables said: “The defendants gained the girl's trust and confidence by plying them with alcohol and giving them cigarettes at house parties and offering them flirtatious attention.
“Both girls became conditioned to having regular sexual intercourse with the same male.”
The investigation into what happened to the girls was part of a long-running broader inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.
Contact our specialist abuse solicitors
At Switalskis, we have represented dozens of women who were affected by child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, Manchester and West Yorkshire, plus many more from other parts of the country where similar grooming, exploitation and abuse occurred.
We are acutely aware of the damage this kind of sexual abuse causes and the huge difficulty many have in coming forward and reporting their abuse. We have successfully secured damages for many survivors, compensating them for the harm they suffered and allowing them to get the help they need.
If you or someone you know has been affected and would like a confidential discussion about your rights and your case, please contact Amy Clowrey. You can email her at amy.clowrey@switalskis.com or call her at 01924 882 000. Amy will be happy to discuss your options with you.
You don't have to report the matter to the police to proceed with a civil law claim.
Amy has worked in the legal sector for 13 years. She is a Director in our Child Abuse Compensation team.
