15/07/2026
BREAKING NEWS! UK-WIDE GROOMING GANG CHARGED WITH 34 SERIOUS OFFENCES
Eight men have been charged with a total of 34 serious offences, including 17 counts of r**e, following a major police investigation into the alleged s*xual exploitation of children spanning more than a decade.
Two of the accused are from Scotland, with coordinated dawn arrests taking place across Edinburgh, Argyll and Bute, Newport, Swansea, London, Birmingham and Lancashire as detectives from Gwent Police's long-running Operation Oak moved in.
The investigation centres on allegations that eight girls, all children at the time, were s*xually abused between 1985 and 1996.
The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised charges including r**e, indecent assault, causing prostitution, conspiracy to r**e and aiding and abetting r**e.
Those charged are:
Mohammed Sheikh Abdul Hannan, 54, of Edinburgh, charged with eight offences, including two counts of r**e, indecent assault, aiding and abetting r**e, and conspiracy to r**e.
Shafaq Mohammed, 58, of Birmingham, charged with 11 offences, including seven r**e allegations involving children and adults, aiding and abetting r**e, and prostitution offences.
Syed Mohammad Ashan Taqvi, 65, of Newport, charged with three counts of r**e involving a girl under 16.
Sheikh Mohammed Tahir Ullah, 73, of Newport, charged with two r**e offences, including one involving a child under 16.
Aminur Rahman Chowdhury, 58, of Tottenham, London, charged with one count of r**e.
Shakeel Babur, 58, of Lancashire, charged with four counts of indecent assault on a girl under 16.
Murad Ali, 57, of Swansea, charged with two counts of r**e involving a girl under 16.
Kevin Lawrence, 54, of Dunoon, charged with three offences, including conspiracy to r**e and causing the prostitution of a woman.
The defendants, aged between 54 and 73, are all due to appear before Newport Magistrates' Court on 24 July.
Detective Chief Superintendent Andrew Tuck described Operation Oak as a complex, long-running investigation into group-based child s*xual exploitation in South Wales, stressing that supporting victims has remained the force's priority throughout the investigation.
The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed there is sufficient evidence for the case to proceed and reminded the public that all defendants are entitled to a fair trial. Criminal proceedings are now active, and people are urged not to publish or share material online that could prejudice the case.