Robert Jenrick tells NCA to hunt down grooming gang rapists as police refuse to confirm if they’ve fled overseas

Proceedings relating to two linked trials at Bradford Crown Court finally concluded last week with the sentencings, but two of the perpetrators were found guilty in their absence.

Fayaz Ahmed 45 of Bingley was sentenced to 7 and a half years after being found guilty of two counts of rape and Imtiaz Ahmed 61 of Keighley was sentenced to 9 years after being found guilty of rape.

At the sentencing last week, West Yorkshire Police said that a bench warrant had been issued for the arrests of Imtiaz Ahmed and Fayaz Ahmed and that “enquiries are ongoing to locate them”.

When pressed for clarification on their location, the force reaffirmed that their enquiries were ongoing.

Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said that the force should be working with the National Crime Agency to hunt down the rapists.

He told GB News: “I urge the NCA to go after these despicable men to ensure they face justice for their evil crimes.”

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Jenrick added: “If they are found to be in Pakistan and Islamabad won’t cooperate with our law enforcement we should suspend visas and aid.”

Imtiaz and Fayaz Ahmed were sentenced alongside Ibrar Hussain 47 of Keighley, who was jailed for six and a half years after being found guilty of two counts of rape.

At the sentencing, the CPS said that Fayaz Ahmed and Imtiaz Ahmed “sexually exploited the victim when she was made even more vulnerable through use of drugs and alcohol”.

Their actions were described as “wicked, vile and sordid”.

But the two men have escaped justice.

West Yorkshire Police was asked if the force’s working assumption is that they are overseas and for clarity on when they were last in Britain.

At a previous linked trial that concluded in October 2023, five other men were found guilty of a raft of child sexual offences:

• Amreaz Asghar 47 of Keighley was jailed for 4 and a half years for rape.
• Perwaz Asghar 50 of Nottingham was jailed for 6 and a half years for two indecent assaults.
• Mohammed Din 47 of Keighley was jailed for 14 years for 11 counts of rape.
• Sajid Mahmood Khan 45 of Keighley was jailed for 3 years for rape.
• Zehroon Razak 47 of Keighley was jailed for 6 and a half years for rape.