Multiple men appear in Huddersfield court over historic child sexual exploitation charges of girls in West Yorkshire

The defendants are among 32 men - predominantly from the Kirklees district - charged following an investigation by West Yorkshire Police into the alleged historic abuse of eight girls.

Nine of them appeared before District Judge Michael Fanning at Kirklees' Magistrates' Court today (Friday), with the case sent to Leeds Crown Court where they will appear on January 8.

A tenth defendant, Michael Birkenshaw, was not present in court due to reportedly displaying symptoms of Covid-19.

A further 22 men are set to appear before the Bench on Monday.

The men, most of whom are from the Dewsbury and Batley areas, are charged with various offences including rape, inciting sexual activity with a child and trafficking.

The allegations relate to eight girls and are said to have taken place between 1999 and 2012 in various locations across West Yorkshire, including public parks and cemeteries.

The ten men before the Huddersfield court today were as follows:

Amjad Hussain, 41, of Lee Street, Ravensthorpe, charged with two counts of inciting sexual activity with a child

Amran Mehrban, 37, of Oaklands Drive, Batley, charged with two counts of rape, sexual activity with a child, false imprisonment

Saleem Nasir, 44, of Hope Street, Batley, charged with three counts of rape and conspiracy to rape

Mohammed Zada, 41, of Thorncliffe Road, Batley, charged with three counts of rape, three counts of rape of a child under 16 years, sexual activity with a child and two counts of indecent assault of a child under 16

Sajad Hussain, 37, of Batley, charged with rape, aiding and abetting in rape, false imprisonment, trafficking and supplying Class C drugs

Irfan Khan, 34, of Surrey Street, Batley, charged with four counts of rape, sexual activity with a child, false imprisonment and making threats to kill

Sarkaut Yasen, 35, of Park House Drive, Batley, charged with trafficking and two counts of aiding and abetting rape

Michael Birkenshaw, 34, of The Oval, Wakefield, charged with rape of a child

Shakeel Daji, 41, of Mount Avenue, Batley, charged with three counts of rape of a child under the age of 16, sexual activity with a child and trafficking

Ebrahim Pandor, 41, of Highdale, Dewsbury, charged with rape and two counts of trafficking