Two men jailed for raping teen girls in Rotherham

Two men have been jailed today for raping teenage girls in Rotherham more than two decades ago.

The Crown Prosecution Service’s dedicated Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit prosecuted Kessur Ajaib, 44, and Mohammed Makhmood, 43, following an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) as part of Operation Stovewood. Operation Stovewood is a major investigation into child sexual abuse and exploitation which took place in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, between 1997 and 2013.  

The offenders were found guilty following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court. Ajaib and Makhmood were charged and convicted of raping one victim. Ajaib and Makhmood were sentenced to 8.5 and 7 years, respectively.

A third man Sageer Hussain, 40, who was serving a 19-year prison sentence for rape, was sentenced on 11 November 2025 to an additional three years' imprisonment. He was charged and convicted of raping a different victim.  
The victims were girls aged 13 to 15 and 14 to 16 when the offending took place, between 1999 and 2002.

Liz Fell, Specialist Prosecutor for the CPS Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit, said: 

"Ajaib, Hussain and Makhmood deliberately exploited the victims’ vulnerabilities, abusing them in the most appalling way and leaving a lasting impact on two women who they callously targeted and mistreated as children.

"These defendants have now been held accountable for their horrific crimes. I want to once again thank both women for their immense courage in coming forward and staying engaged throughout the legal process. Their determination and strength in seeing this case through has been crucial in bringing these offenders to justice.

“The CPS will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to pursue perpetrators of child sexual abuse and secure justice for victims, no matter how many years have passed."

One victim was raped on separate occasions by Ajaib and Makhmood. During the trial, the court heard that after Makhmood raped her, he called the victim demeaning names, spat at her and laughed at her.

The other victim was attacked by Hussain when he was aged 14 or 15,  in an alleyway, where she was forcefully trapped against her will and told she wouldn’t be able to leave unless they had sex.  

After considering the evidence presented by the prosecution – including victims’ video-recorded interviews, corroborating witness statements and positive identifications of the defendants – the jury found the defendants guilty.  

National Crime Agency senior investigating officer Alan Hastings said: 

“I would like to recognise how courageous the victim was in reporting the sexual abuse that Kessur Ajaib and Mohammed Makhmood subjected her to as a child.

“It must have been extremely difficult for the woman to relive that period in her life, but the information she shared enabled us to identify corroborating evidence and secure justice for her.

“I hope it will bring the woman some closure to know that Ajaib and Makhmood are now in prison.

“I encourage victims to report child sexual abuse to police if they feel ready to do so. Specially trained officers are ready and waiting to help.