Teenage girls ‘were groomed to become “sex slaves” by Asian men who gave them free underwear, cash, alcohol and food then raped them’

Two teenage girls were groomed to become ‘sex slaves’ for a gang of Asian men, including a market trader known as ‘Boss Man’, a jury heard today.

Mohammed Zahid allegedly raped and sexually abused both girls after meeting the victims when he was in his 40s.

A court heard Zahid gave the girls – who did not know each other – free underwear, cash, alcohol and food in return for regular sex for himself and other Asian men in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.

Prosecutor Rossano Scamardella KC said both girls were well known to social services and other agencies, and it was ‘no secret’ they were having sex with older Asian men.

But he said no reports were made to the police and ‘nothing was done’ at the time of the historic offending. 

Mr Scamardella added: ‘No action was taken to stop what was happening to these two girls or to stop other similarly vulnerable girls suffering the same fate.’

The court heard it was not until 2010 – nine years after the abuse being outlined to the court…