A girl allegedly used as a "sex slave" by a grooming gang was labelled a "prostitute" from age 10 by social services, a court has heard. The victim, now in her 30s, said she had read the "vile" description in a Rochdale social services file. She told the court it described her as "loitering and prostituting from the age of 10". Known only as girl B, she said she had been repeatedly sexually abused from age 13 and "everybody knew what was going on".
She was giving evidence in the case of eight Asian men accused of rape and other sexual offences between 2001 and 2006. She denied claims she was lying in order to get compensation, telling Minshull Street Crown Court she wanted social services to "take responsibility". "They were the ones supposed to care for me and look after me and a lot of bad things happened," she said. "I have never been able to lead my life at all. I struggled to enjoy anything, to do anything. Depression, anxiety to the point I didn't want to be here.".
Prosecutors showed girl B a photo of herself at 13 and she denied she looked much older. "I look like a little kid," she told the court. She said the abuse began when she was in a children's home and started to hang around Rochdale market, where one of the defendants, Mohammed Zahid, had a stall. She said each week she was taken to a shop by another man, Mushtaq Ahmed, where he and Zahid repeatedly raped her on a dirty mattress in the basement.
On other occasions, she told the court, the men drove her to a house in nearby Chadderton where other men would join in the abuse. "I would go upstairs and wait in the bedroom," the witness said. Prosecutor Rossano Scamardella asked her: "Did you know what was about to happen? This was when you were 13?". "Yes," she replied. "I would get undressed and lie on the bed.". "What would they do to you?" asked Mr Scamardella.
"Rape me," she said. Be the first to get Breaking News. Install the Sky News app for free. Read more from Sky News:Helpline launched after children's surgeon suspendedOne of UK's most wanted men jailed after Algarve arrest. The eight defendants were all either taxi drivers in Rochdale or connected to the market. They all deny multiple charges including rape, indecent assault and indecency with a child. They are: Mohammed Zahid, 64, of Station Road, Crumpsall, Manchester; Naheem Akram, 48, of Manley Road, Rochdale; Mohammed Shazad, 43, of Beswicke Royds Street, Rochdale; Nisar Hussain, 43, of Newfield Close, Rochdale; Roheez Khan, 39, of Athole Street, Rochdale; Arfan Khan, 40, of Grouse Street, Rochdale; Mushtaq Ahmed, 66, of Corona Avenue, Oldham; and Kasir Bashir, 50, of Napier Street East, Oldham.
