Enjoy your night, lads: UK cop handed abused minor girl back to Pak grooming gang

Fiona Goddard had been groomed from the age of 14 after running away from a children's home in Bradford in 2008. What began with a group of men approaching her to ask for a lighter eventually turned into years of sexual abuse, trafficking and intimidation.What began with a group of men approaching her to ask for a lighter eventually turned into years of sexual abuse, trafficking and intimidation. (Representative Photo: Reuters)A 16-year-old girl who had been groomed, raped and abused by a gang of Pakistani men was once returned to the same house she had just been rescued from after mistakenly telling police she was 18. According to the Daily Mail, Fiona Goddard had been groomed from the age of 14 after running away from a children's home in Bradford in 2008. What began with a group of men approaching her to ask for a lighter eventually turned into years of sexual abuse, trafficking and intimidation.The teenager was moved between several towns and cities, including Blackburn, Rotherham, Rochdale, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Oldham, as she was exploited by the gang. Two years after the abuse began, police located Goddard at a property in Bradford. What officers found inside, however, was a scene that showed the extent of the danger she was facing.Seven men of Pakistani heritage were inside the property. Some were reportedly half-dressed, while empty alcohol bottles were scattered around the living room. She was rescued from the house, but the ordeal did not end there.POLICE TOOK HER BACK TO THE SAME HOUSEAs per the report, Goddard had been heavily affected by drugs and alcohol when she was placed in a police car. During the journey, she mistakenly told officers that she was 18. That statement should have been checked against existing police records, according to the account. She was already recorded on the police database as an underage victim of child sexual exploitation. However, despite that record, officers took her back to the property where she had just been found with the men.When they returned her to the house, one officer reportedly told the men: "She says she's over-age - enjoy your night, lads." This has emerged as one of the most disturbing details in Goddard's account of how authorities handled her case. Rather than being treated as a vulnerable child requiring protection, she was effectively returned to the people accused of exploiting her.YEARS OF ABUSE AND POLICE FAILURESThe incident was not an isolated experience for Goddard. She has said she repeatedly came to the attention of police during the years she was being abused, but was often treated as responsible for what was happening to her.By the age of 15, she had become pregnant after being raped by one of her abusers. She reportedly gave birth shortly after her 16th birthday, but her newborn daughter was soon taken from her and placed for adoption after she was told she could not keep the child.Meanwhile, the abuse continued. Goddard said the gang used threats and videos of extreme violence to frighten her into silence. The intimidation contributed to her remaining trapped in the cycle of exploitation for years.She said police repeatedly failed to recognise her as a victim.Goddard also said officers dismissed concerns about her because they believed she was capable of looking after herself.GANG MEMBERS EVENTUALLY JAILEDHer case eventually reached court, but only after years of her pushing for action. Nine members of the gang were convicted in 2019 and collectively received more than 130 years in prison. Among those convicted was Basharat Khaliq, known as Bash, who was found guilty of five counts of rape and one count of assault. He received a 20-year sentence.Saeed Akhtar, known as Sid, was convicted of rape and two charges of causing or inciting child prostitution and was also sentenced to 20 years.Naveed Akhtar, known as Nav, was convicted of two counts of rape and jailed for 17 years. Parvaze Ahmed, known as Pav, was convicted of three charges of rape and sentenced to 17 years.Izar Hussain, known as Billy Joe, was convicted of rape and attempted rape and received a 16-year sentence. Kieran Harris was convicted of two counts of rape and jailed for 17 years.Fahim Iqbal was convicted of aiding and abetting rape and sentenced to seven years. Mohammed Usman, known as Manny, was convicted of two counts of rape and jailed for 17 years.Zeeshan Ali, known as Twinny or T, was convicted of sexual assault and sentenced to 18 months.Goddard has said she fought for years to have the case prosecuted. She later chose to waive her right to anonymity following the case. Her reason was simple: she did not want other victims or the public to view what happened to her as something she should be ashamed of.- Ends