Two men jailed for raping girl, 14, in Rotherham alleyway and graveyard

Two men who ‘deliberately exploited’ a vulnerable girl and raped her in Rotherham over 25 years ago have been jailed.

Kessur Ajaib, 44, and Mohammed Makhmood, 43, sexually abused the teenager over two years, starting in 1999.

The girl was aged 14 when she was attacked by Ajaib in the South Yorkshire town, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.

He made conversation with the girl and gave her alcohol, before luring her to an alleyway in a residential area where he raped her.

He was jailed for eight years and six months for the rape, as well as a further three years, to run concurrently, for indecently assaulting the same girl.

Makhmood carried out his attack when he found the girl waiting at a bus stop one evening, the NCA said.

He invited her to smoke a cigarette with him, then led her to a nearby graveyard where he raped her.

Makhmood received a seven-year prison sentence at Sheffield Crown Court.

Both men must sign the sex offenders register for life.

The pair’s crimes were uncovered by officers from Operation Stovewood, the NCA’s investigation into sexual abuse allegations in Rotherham.

They contacted the victim after identifying she may have been sexually abused as a child.

Ajaib and Makhmood were charged in February 2024, and convicted in July this year.

NCA senior investigating officer Alan Hastings said: ‘I would like to recognize 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.’

Liz Fell, specialist prosecutor for the CPS organized 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.’

Operation Stovewood has led to the conviction of 49 people as investigations continue into allegations of abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.

Ajaib and Makhmood’s co-defendant, Sageer Hussain, 40, of Rotherham, who is already serving a 19-year-jail sentence for raping a girl, was sentenced on November 11 at Sheffield Crown Court to a further three years in prison for raping a second girl.

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