Sheffield brothers jailed for selling girl for sex Published duration 28 April 2017

image copyright South Yorkshire Police image caption (L to R) Christopher, Shane and Matthew Whiteley were jailed at Sheffield Crown Court

Three brothers who forced a 15-year-old girl to have sex with men for money on up to 40 occasions have been jailed.

Christopher, Shane and Matthew Whiteley, from Hackenthorpe, Sheffield, were sentenced to 15, eight and seven years respectively.

The brothers were convicted of conspiracy to cause or incite child prostitution, after a trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

Christopher Whiteley was also sentenced for sex offences against other victims.

The brothers' associate Amanda Spencer, who was found guilty of four child prostitution offences, was jailed for three years. That sentence will run consecutively with a 12-year jail term imposed in 2014 for similar offences

'Broken humanity'

Taleb Bapir, who was convicted of rape, was jailed for 10 years.

Jailing the group, Judge Peter Kelson said: "You succumbed to your greed for sexual satisfaction and financial gain.

"I have never in my professional life witnessed such broken humanity."

image copyright South Yorkshire Police image caption Amanda Spencer was jailed for three years and Taleb Bapir was jailed for 10 years

The jury heard the 15-year-old was given drink and drugs before being forced to have sex.

Prosecutor Peter Hampton said: "The Whiteley brothers would take [the girl] to the red light district [in Sheffield] where she would be prostituted.

"She would be forced to get in to cars.

"She would be driven to secluded areas where she would have sex for money. The brothers would charge £50.

"Her best guess is that this occurred on around 30 to 40 occasions."

He told the court other victims in the case were raped, abused and prostituted after meeting the Whiteley brothers and Spencer at Sheffield's former Castle Market.

Spencer took one girl to up to 50 properties and forced her to have sex with men, including Bapir, for money.

Judge Kelson told Spencer: "You knew how vulnerable she was but you didn't care.

"You knew what it was like to be exploited but you didn't care.

"You knew that she didn't want to do this but you didn't care.

"You sold her body."

image copyright PA image caption A number of the offences took place at Castle Market in Sheffield - the market was closed in 2013

Peter Mann, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "These defendants cynically targeted and sexually exploited young and vulnerable girls.

"The suffering the victims must have endured is hard to comprehend."

The convictions:

Christopher Whiteley, 23, of Weakland Crescent in Hackenthorpe, Sheffield: Found guilty of four counts of rape, one child prostitution offence, two counts of sexual assault on a child under 13 and one count of theft. Acquitted of seven counts of rape, one count of conspiracy to rape, one child prostitution offence. The jury were unable to reach verdicts on two counts of rape, one count of conspiracy to rape. He will face a retrial on one charge of rape.

Shane Whiteley, 30, also of Weakland Crescent: Found guilty of one child prostitution offence. Cleared of one child prostitution offence and one count of conspiracy to rape. The jury were unable to reach verdicts on one child prostitution offence and one count of conspiracy to rape. He will face a retrial on one child prostitution offence.

Matthew Whiteley, 25, also of Weakland Crescent: Convicted of one child prostitution offence. Acquitted of one child prostitution offence, one count of conspiracy to rape and one count of sexual activity with a child. The jury were unable to agree on one count of conspiracy to rape and one count of sexual activity with a child. He will face a retrial on one count of sexual activity with a child.

Amanda Spencer, 26, of Canklow Road, Rotherham: Guilty of four child prostitution offences. Cleared of seven counts of aiding and abetting rape and eight child prostitution offences. The jury were unable to reach a verdict on one count of aiding and abetting rape.

Taleb Bapir, 39, of Verdon Street, Sheffield: Found guilty of one count of rape.

Related Topics Sheffield

Rotherham