A man has been sentenced to five years in prison for raping a 14-year-old girl in a Rotherham alleyway 21 years ago, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA). Waleed Ali, 42, from Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, was found guilty of the crime at Sheffield Crown Court last Friday. He had previously been convicted of similar offences against a 13-year-old girl in 2003. Ali’s sentencing is part of Operation Stovewood, an investigation into historical child sexual abuse in Rotherham spanning from 1997 to 2013.
The victim, who had not reported the assault before, came forward in 2021, leading to Ali’s arrest. The NCA detailed how Ali, then in his early 20s, coerced the victim into a dark alleyway, where he assaulted her. Despite denying the crime during questioning, Ali was prosecuted based on corroborating evidence and the victim’s testimony. Senior investigator Stuart Cobb praised the victim’s bravery and urged more survivors of child abuse to seek support and report their experiences to the police.
In further developments, seven men were recently convicted for child sex abuse offences against young girls in Rotherham during the 2000s as part of Operation Stovewood. The probe was initiated following the Jay Report’s revelation in 2014 of widespread abuse by predominantly Pakistani heritage gangs in Rotherham. Since then, Operation Stovewood has led to numerous convictions, though its investigations are ongoing until at least 2027, with a total cost estimated at £90 million.
Individuals who have experienced child sexual abuse are encouraged to come forward and report to the police for support and justice. Operation Stovewood continues to uncover and prosecute offenders involved in one of the UK’s most extensive child sexual exploitation inquiries.