As the Rotherham abuse trial continues, Sheffield Crown Court has heard evidence that a corrupt policeman received payment to prevent the arrest of a violent member of a child grooming gang.

One of the 12 alleged victims of the grooming gang — known as Girl L in court — gave evidence via video interview played at the Rotherham abuse trial, reports the Sheffield Star. She said that 39-year-old defendant Basharat Hussain told her there was “somebody from [the Criminal Investigation Department] he used to pay so he wouldn’t get busted.”

Girl L, now aged 30, said she was was 15-years-old when Mr. Hussain first had sex with her. He would have then been 24-years-old.

As time passed she said he became violent towards her, even telling her to “dig her own grave” on one occasion. The trial also heard he threatened that if Girl L stopped seeing him he would burn down her brother’s house.

On another occasion Mr. Hussain, who frequently attacked Girl L and would not let her wear make-up or have friends of her own, is said to have held her over a hotel balcony threatening to throw her off while spitting in her face. She said: “I really thought I were going to die that night.”

Another alleged victim — known to the court as Girl G — spoke of being made to work as a teenage street prostitute in Doncaster and in a ‘brothel-type house’ in Rotherham. She said no action was ever taken against fellow defendant Arshid Hussain despite social workers and police officers knowing about the situation as long ago as June 2000.

Girl G claimed she learned of the meeting between seven police officers and four social workers held to discuss her being “sexually exploited” from the Independent Police Complaints Commission. She asked:

“If everybody knew, why did nobody do anything to stop it and help us? Why did they leave it 15 years to knock on my door and say we knew what Arshid was doing but they didn’t bother doing anything?”

Girl G also claimed that one one occasion she recognised a man she believed to be local politician and relative of the Hussains “just sat drinking” in the brothel.

Arshid and Basharat Hussain, Karen MacGregor, 58, Qurban Ali, 53, Majid Bostan, 37, Sajid Bostan, 38, and Shelley Davies, 40, all deny being part of a Rotherham child grooming gang.

The trial continues.