Exploitation ring members jailed

Courageous victims of a Sheffield child prostitution ring have been praised for having the bravery to speak out about their abuse which has led to the conviction of four men and a woman.
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Brothers Christopher Whiteley, 23, Matthew Whiteley, 24 and Shane Whiteley, 30, all of Weakland Crescent, Hackenthorpe, Amanda Spencer, 26, formerly of Canklow Road, Rotherham, and Taleb Bapir, 38, of Verdon Street, Neepsend, were found guilty of 18 offences involving child prostitution and sex abuse.

It took jurors just under three days to reach their verdicts following a six week trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

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The convictions relate to the abuse and child prostitution of five girls aged between 12 and 17.

Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Martin Tate, who led the investigation, said the victims had their lives damaged and childhoods stolen.

He said: “Between 2005 and 2011, these individuals targeted, groomed and exploited vulnerable girls for sexual gratification.

“The bravery of the victims has resulted in the conviction of five very dangerous offenders who are now in prison for multiple sexual offences. The jury found the defendants not guilty on some charges and, whilst disappointed, I respect the jury’s decision.”

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The court was told the majority of the girls met their abusers at Castle Market or other locations across Sheffield city centre including the bus station.

The three Whiteley brothers were convicted of arranging child prostitution of a girl aged between 16 and 17 in 2009.

She was pimped out at Shane Whiteley’s flat in Victoria Court, off West Street, and in the city’s red light district in Attercliffe.

Spencer pimped out a 15-year-old girl, who was in foster care, by taking her to the homes of around 50 men across the city, including Neepsend, between 2010 and 2011. One of the men the girl was pimped out to was Bapir, who raped her when she refused to have sex with him as instructed by Spencer.

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The jury was unable to reach verdicts on six counts and the prosecution are pursuing retrials for four of the offences against all three Whiteley brothers and Spencer.

The five defendants are due to be sentenced by Judge Peter Kelson QC on Friday, April 28.

Peter Mann, from the CPS, said: “These defendants cynically targeted and sexually exploited young and vulnerable girls.

“It is hard to comprehend the magnitude of suffering they must have endured.

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“The guilty verdicts returned today are a testament to the courage of the victims in coming forward and giving evidence against their abusers.

“This case was very complex and involved months of painstaking analysis.

“With the victims’ help the CPS was able to build a strong prosecution case against these defendants, resulting in today’s verdicts.”

Amanda Spencer was convicted of four counts of arranging child prostitution. Christopher Whiteley, of one count of conspiracy to arrange child prostitution, conspiracy to rape; eight counts of rape; two counts of sexual assault and one count of theft.

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Shane Whiteley was convicted of one count of conspiracy to arrange child prostitution, and conspiracy to rape. And Matthew Whiteley was convicted of one count of conspiracy to arrange child prostitution, and conspiracy to rape.

Taleb Bapir was convicted of one count of rape.