27/03/2026
A group of men are facing significant prison terms after a teenage girl was r**ed and sexually exploited during an horrific ordeal.
The girl, then aged 16, didn't know the men, but had overheard them being referred to by nicknames.
She first encountered Arqash Zaffar and Mohammed Nadim as they drove a BMW along Alum Rock Road in Birmingham.
Zaffar asked for her phone number but she declined and boarded a nearby bus.
Days later she was on the same road when she was again approached by the men in the same car.
They persuaded her to get in, offering her a lift to the city centre.
However, Zaffar drove her to a secluded area where both he and Nadim sexually assaulted her whilst she was in the back of the car, before driving her to Walsall.
Whilst with Zaffar, the girl recalled how he collected one of his associates, Shahban Arif, and both men drove her to Manchester, where an arrangement had been made to meet up with another associate, Shiraz Nassir.
After collecting Nassir, they all travelled to his home in Denton, where the girl was r**ed by Zaffar and Nassir.
After this horrific crime, Zaffar and Arif took the girl to Walsall, where Arif had booked a hotel room.
Despite giving false information as to who would be using the room, Arif provided his name, vehicle registration, and drivers licence as ID - which later assisted in our investigation.
The girl was subjected to further abuse by Zaffar inside the hotel room, with Arif again present.
Zaffar then drove her from Walsall to Birmingham, where he met up with another associate.
He offered them the opportunity to stay in a room with the girl - even showing them a hotel key - but they declined.
That same evening the girl described being taken back to a hotel, where Zaffar told her he had something for her.
On entering the room there were four other unknown men inside.
The girl later described how they r**ed her one after another.
She bravely reported this to police, and diligent enquiries identified four of the men involved through phone use, hotel bookings, vehicle and insurance details, and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) records.
Arqash Zaffar, aged 41, of Persehouse Street, Walsall, was found guilty of five counts of r**e, causing the child to engage in sexual activity without consent on four occasions and also facilitating travel with a view to sexually exploit the child.
Shiraz Nassir, 40, of Fir Road, Greater Manchester, was found guilty of r**e.
Mohammed Nadim, 45, from Walsall, was found guilty of sexual assault.
Shaban Arif, 42, of Holden Crescent, Walsall, was found guilty of facilitating travel of the child with a view of sexual exploitation.
Detective Constable Stewart Garratt, from our Public Protection Unit said: "This has been a complex investigation, it involved a number of enquiries, working in partnership with other agencies and importantly support for this child, she is commended for her bravery, I'm so pleased with these convictions for her in particular."
DC Garratt added: "These males took advantage of a clearly vulnerable teenager, what she experienced was deeply traumatic.
"She found the strength to report this and specialist child abuse officers worked extremely hard to identify these men, and in doing so have got justice for her."
All defendants have been remanded in custody and will appear at Birmingham Crown Court on 19th March 2026 for sentencing.
It is important to note that survivors of sexual assault are protected by law and have life-long anonymity.
Support is available in a number of different places for anyone who has suffered a similar ordeal, and we have teams of officers across the West Midlands dedicated to investigating r**e and serious sexual assault.
