Hoods pulled down to hide their faces, these are the latest alleged grooming gang members to appear in court.
Mohammed Zahid, 64, who wore a red hoodie low down over his head, was one of seven men who appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court today.
The men – accused of grooming girls and young women in Rochdale, Greater Manchester – were in court for the first day of a series of preliminary hearings ahead of a trial.
It follows Operation Lytton, which is an investigation into non-recent child sexual exploitation in the Rochdale area of Greater Manchester, with the offending predominantly taking place between 2001 and 2006.
The defendants appeared at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester ahead of the trial, estimated to last up to 12 weeks.
Mohammed Zahid (pictured), who wore a red hoodie low down over his head, was one of seven men who appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court
Roheez Khan, from Rochdale, arrives at Minshull Street Crown Court for the trial of eight men for grooming offences involving three teenage girls in Rochdale between 2000 and 2006
Mustaq Ahmed is one of then men accused of grooming girls and young women in Rochdale, Greater Manchester between 2001 and 2006
The trial is not expected to get under way with a jury until next week and Tuesday’s hearing dealt largely with legal and administrative matters.
The charges are understood to relate to offences involving three teenage girls in Rochdale, between 2000 and 2006.
The seven defendants who appeared in court on Tuesday all deny various sexual offences against the complainants.