Five guilty of Sheffield child sex abuse offences Published duration 22 March 2017

image copyright South Yorkshire Police image caption (Clockwise from top left) Christopher, Shane and Matthew Whiteley, Taleb Bapir and Amanda Spencer were convicted at Sheffield Crown Court

Five people have been found guilty in relation to the rape and prostitution of five young girls.

Amanda Spencer, Taleb Bapir and brothers Christopher, Shane and Matthew Whiteley were convicted after a trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

Spencer plied one girl with alcohol and threatened violence in order to force her to have sex, while the Whiteley brothers prostituted a 15-year-old girl on the streets of Sheffield.

They will be sentenced on 28 April.

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

The offences took place between 2006 and 2012.

During a trial, lasting more than six weeks, jurors heard the girls were raped, abused and prostituted after meeting the Whiteley brothers and Spencer at Sheffield's former Castle Market.

Prosecutor Peter Hampton, said Christopher Whitely, 23, who was convicted of eight offences, would appear "charming" at first.

In relation to one victim, he said: "She believed that he was her friend, but over the weeks his attitude to her changed. He became aggressive and forceful. She was frightened of him."

image caption Amanda Spencer was jailed in 2014 after being found guilty of 16 charges relating to child prostitution

He said a second girl, who was taken to up to 50 properties and forced to have sex with men for money, painted a similar picture of Spencer.

"She was friendly at first but that soon changed. She plied [the girl] with alcohol and began to prostitute her," he said.

"On each occasion she was fearful that Amanda Spencer would be violent towards her."

Bapir, who was convicted of rape, was among the men Spencer forced the girl to have sex with.

After the trial Jayne Ludlam, from Sheffield City Council, praised the "bravery" of the victims.

She said: "It sends a clear message to anyone involved in the sexual exploitation of vulnerable young people - you will be identified, pursued and prosecuted."

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 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