Four men have been charged with a total of 13 counts of rape relating to three schoolgirls over a two-year period. The alleged offenses occurred between 1998 and 2000.
The accused are Johnathan Harrison, 46, from Cleckheaton, who faces five counts of rape, one count of indecent assault, and one of child abduction. Mohammed Jahanghir Afsar, 54, and Naseem Risalat, 47, both from Heckmondwike, have been charged with four counts of rape and two counts of rape respectively, with Risalat also facing one count of aiding and abetting rape. Usman Nazir, 44, from Stoke-on-Trent, is charged with two counts of rape.
West Yorkshire Police stated that the investigation into the sexual abuse of the teenage girls, who were between 14 and 15 years old at the time of the alleged incidents, involved the Crown Prosecution Service. The offending is reported to have largely taken place in the Kirklees area of West Yorkshire.
The four men are scheduled to appear at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court on September 23.
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police urged anyone who may have been a victim of sexual assault, either recently or in the past, to come forward and contact authorities. The police department continues to conduct inquiries in partnership with the Crown Prosecution Service as part of the ongoing investigation.