Brothers Sentenced in Major Grooming Gang Investigation
Three brothers have been handed significant prison sentences in connection with a far-reaching criminal inquiry into child grooming and sexual abuse. The men were convicted of raping and sexually abusing girls as young as 12 in Rotherham and Sheffield.
Amar Ilyas Sentenced in Absence
Amar Ilyas, 41, who used the moniker ‘Killer’, has been sentenced to 27 years in prison. He was found guilty of 20 historic sex offenses, including 13 counts of rape against five victims. At the time of the abuse, which occurred in the 2000s, three of the girls were 13 years old or younger, with the eldest being 18. Ilyas fled to Pakistan before his sentencing and remains at large. He has been described by the judge as a ‘coward’ for evading justice.
During the sentencing at Sheffield Crown Court, it was revealed that Ilyas ‘remorselessly terrified’ his young victims in the South Yorkshire city. Evidence presented in court detailed instances of him biting one victim and using a gun and threats of gang rape to coerce others into sexual activity. Judge Peter Hampton has urged authorities to pursue all avenues to secure his return to the UK.
Brothers Kamar and Kamran Receive Sentences
Kamar Ilyas, 39, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for rape and other sexual offenses. His younger brother, Kamran Ilyas, 38, received a three-year sentence for his involvement in sex offenses.
Operation Stovewood Uncovers Widespread Abuse
The brothers were apprehended in June 2020 as part of Operation Stovewood, a substantial £90 million investigation by the National Crime Agency. This operation has been examining allegations of grooming and sexual abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013, making it the largest of its kind in the United Kingdom.
The investigation began when officers contacted a woman who may have been a victim of child sexual abuse. She came forward and described being raped by Amar Ilyas, which subsequently led to the identification of four additional victims.
Impact on Victims
A victim impact statement read in court highlighted the devastating consequences of the defendants’ actions. One complainant, who remains anonymous for legal reasons, stated, “The three defendants exploited my vulnerability and destroyed my childhood.” The statement further detailed how the brothers “degraded, ridiculed and humiliated” their victims.
The court heard that the trio sexually abused one vulnerable girl across various locations in Sheffield between 2004 and 2008, when she was just 12 years old. She was introduced to Amar by his brother Kamar, who had obtained her mobile number. Kamar then engaged in sexual activity with her before passing her to his brothers. Amar Ilyas is reported to have raped the girl on a weekly basis for three years, during which time she was described as ‘lonely and vulnerable’.
In one disturbing account, the victim reported that Amar gave her a cigarette that he had laced with crack cocaine before raping her. On another occasion, Amar brandished a handgun he kept in his car before taking her to a wooded area and assaulting her.
Judge’s Remarks and Operation Scope
Judge Hampton commented on Amar Ilyas’s continued attempts to manipulate proceedings from overseas, noting that his counsel advocated for his community work while he simultaneously evaded justice in another jurisdiction. He added, “Your victims were targeted, sexualised and, in some cases, subjected to acts of a degrading and violent nature. They were naive and young, reaching adolescence and susceptible to the attention that was given to them. Some were groomed, some coerced and intimidated and some violently raped.”
Operation Stovewood has led to the conviction of over 50 individuals and has identified approximately 1,100 children who were sexually exploited between 1997 and 2013. The operation was initiated following the findings of the 2014 Jay Report into child sexual abuse in Rotherham, which confirmed widespread abuse by gangs of men, predominantly of Pakistani heritage.
