Ajaz Ahmed, a 56-year-old child abuser, has been sentenced to 28 years in prison for the rape and sexual assault of five young girls.

Ahmed used his flat and cafe in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, to groom and abuse his victims, who were aged between 13 and 17. His crimes were uncovered as part of a Greater Manchester Police investigation into historical sexual abuse in the area.

During his trial, Ahmed was convicted of 23 offences, including rape, sexual assault, and assault. He showed no remorse for his actions, initially denying any knowledge of who lived in his flat when questioned by police about one of the rapes.

Ahmed subjected his victims to a horrific period of control and abuse, both physical and sexual. He would offer them places to stay or work at his cafe, then manipulate them into submission. He also took advantage of their vulnerability by buying them alcohol and taking them to nightclubs before assaulting them.

Detective Constable Ann Cooper Poole praised the bravery of Ahmed’s victims for coming forward and helping to bring him to justice. She said: “These girls had their childhoods and teen years tainted in the most abhorrent way, and they experienced what no one should ever experience.”