Fact Check: Mohammed Zahid, one of the convicted men, was previously jailed for five years in 2016 for sexual assault of a child.

Fact Check: "Mohammed Zahid, one of the convicted men, was previously jailed for five years in 2016 for sexual assault of a child."

What We Know

The claim regarding Mohammed Zahid's previous conviction is supported by multiple sources. In 2016, Zahid was indeed sentenced to five years in prison for engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl whom he met at his stall in Rochdale. This information is corroborated by a BBC article that details the earlier case where Zahid was convicted as part of a broader investigation into grooming gangs in Rochdale. The article states that Zahid had engaged in sexual activity with the girl in 2006, which aligns with the claim about his prior conviction.

Additionally, recent reports confirm that Zahid was one of seven men convicted for sexually exploiting two teenage girls between 2001 and 2006, where he was found guilty of multiple counts of rape and other sexual offenses (Crown Prosecution Service, The Guardian).

Analysis

The evidence supporting the claim about Zahid's previous conviction is robust, as it comes from credible news sources and official statements from the Crown Prosecution Service. The BBC and The Guardian have provided detailed accounts of the recent trial and Zahid's past offenses, which lend credibility to the assertion that he was previously jailed for sexual assault.

However, it is essential to note that while the sources confirm Zahid's conviction and the nature of his offenses, they do not provide exhaustive details about the specific charges or the circumstances surrounding his 2016 conviction beyond the fact that it involved a minor. The lack of comprehensive details in the available sources means that while the claim is supported, it should be contextualized within the broader narrative of Zahid's criminal history.

Conclusion

Needs Research. While the claim that Mohammed Zahid was previously jailed for five years in 2016 for sexual assault of a child is supported by credible sources, further investigation is necessary to clarify the specifics of the charges and the context of his previous conviction. The existing reports confirm the conviction but do not provide a complete picture of the legal proceedings or the details surrounding the case.

Sources

1. Seven men convicted for sexually exploiting children in ...
2. Grooming gang guilty of raping and abusing girls
3. Rochdale men jailed for 'appalling and vile' abuse
4. Seven men who groomed vulnerable girls in Rochdale ...
5. Seven men convicted of sexual exploitation of two teenage ...
6. Seven men used teenage girls as 'sex slaves' in Rochdale
7. Rochdale gang convicted for raping and exploiting ...
8. Grooming gang found guilty of raping girls over several years