Overview
- A jury at Caernarfon Crown Court on Monday found five defendants guilty of more than 40 offences after a three-month trial.
- The offences related to the grooming, intoxication and sexual abuse of three girls aged 14 to 16 in Rhyl and nearby Denbighshire between April 2022 and March 2024.
- Mustafa Iqbal received the most extensive convictions, including multiple counts of rape, trafficking and modern slavery offences, while co-defendants Mohamed Usman Arshad, Ziaullah Badshah and Jaswinder Singh were convicted on rape, trafficking and related charges and Sarah Gray was found guilty of perverting the course of justice and drug conspiracies.
- North Wales Police led the inquiries under Operations Embank and Zirconium, with prosecutors saying the group used alcohol, cannabis and grooming games to control victims and that the abuse was exposed after a London trip prompted a third party to alert officers.
- Four defendants remain remanded in custody with sentencing set for 25 September and police and partner agencies have pledged ongoing support for the victims as the case underscores prosecutors' use of modern slavery laws to tackle child sexual exploitation.