'What she experienced was deeply traumatic' - Gang of men from Walsall and Manchester convicted after teenage girl raped
A group of men are facing significant prison terms after a teenage girl was raped and sexually exploited during an horrific ordeal.
Arqash Zaffar, Shiraz Nassir, Mohammed Nadim and Shaban Arif will all face prison sentences after being found guilty at Birmingham Crown Court of charges of rape, sexual assault and facilitating travel of the child with a view of sexual exploitation.
The court heard how the girl, then aged 16, didn't know the men, but had overheard them being referred to by nicknames.
She first encountered Zaffar and Nadim as they drove a BMW along Alum Rock Road in Birmingham, with Zaffar asking for her phone number, but she declined and boarded a nearby bus.
Days later she was on the same road when she was again approached by the men in the same car, who persuaded her to get in, offering her a lift to the city centre.
However, Zaffar drove her to a secluded area where both he and Nadim sexually assaulted her whilst she was in the back of the car, before driving her to Walsall.
On the journey, the girl's phone was connected to the BMW's sound system, which West Midlands Police said helped identify the car's details.
Whilst with Zaffar, the girl recalled how he collected one of his associates, Arif, and both men drove her to Manchester, where an arrangement had been made to meet up with another associate, Shiraz Nassir.
After collecting Nassir, they all travelled to his home in Denton, where the girl was raped by Zaffar and Nassir, then Zaffar and Arif took the girl to Walsall, where Arif had booked a hotel room.
Despite giving false information as to who would be using the room, Arif provided his name, vehicle registration, and drivers licence as ID, which later assisted in the investigation.
The girl was subjected to further abuse by Zaffar inside the hotel room, with Arif again present, before Zaffar then drove her from Walsall to Birmingham, where he met up with another associate.
He offered them the opportunity to stay in a room with the girl, even showing them a hotel key, but they declined.
That same evening the girl described being taken back to a hotel, where Zaffar told her he had something for her.
On entering the room there were four other unknown men inside, with the girl later describing how they raped her one after another.
She reported this to police, and diligent enquiries identified four of the men involved through phone use, hotel bookings, vehicle and insurance details, and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) records.
Zaffar, 41, of Persehouse Street in Walsall, was found guilty of five counts of rape, causing the child to engage in sexual activity without consent on four occasions and also facilitating travel with a view to sexually exploit the child.
Nassir, 40, of Fir Road in Greater Manchester, was found guilty of rape, while Nadim, 45, of Holtshill Lane in Walsall, was found guilty of sexual assault and Arif, 42, of Holden Crescent in Walsall, was found guilty of facilitating travel of the child with a view of sexual exploitation.
Detective Constable Stewart Garratt, from our Public Protection Unit said: "This has been a complex investigation, it involved a number of enquiries, working in partnership with other agencies and importantly support for this child, she is commended for her bravery, I'm so pleased with these convictions for her in particular.
"These males took advantage of a clearly vulnerable teenager, what she experienced was deeply traumatic.
"She found the strength to report this and specialist child abuse officers worked extremely hard to identify these men, and in doing so have got justice for her."
All defendants have been remanded in custody and will appear at Birmingham Crown Court on March 19, 2026 for sentencing.
