Five men have been jailed for their roles in a grooming gang that targeted teenage girls in Gateshead, England. The group, comprised of four Romanians and one Albanian, was convicted of 31 charges involving six victims between 2014 and 2019 following an eight-week trial at Newcastle Crown Court.
Grooming Gang Jailed in Gateshead
The victims, aged 13 to 15, were sometimes given alcohol or cocaine before being sexually abused and raped. The court heard the girls were initially targeted by boys close to their own age, leading them to believe they were in relationships before older men exploited them.
Sentencing took place on Friday, with the men receiving prison terms ranging from 18 months to 14 years. Some of the offenses centered around Saltwell Park, where the men reportedly met to play football.
Judge Tim Gittins praised the victims’ courage in coming forward, describing a statement from one victim, who became addicted to cocaine during the exploitation, as “nothing less than haunting.” The victim stated she was “petrified of all men” and feared she may never lead a normal life.
Another victim described feeling naive and easily manipulated, while a third said her attacker exerted a controlling influence over her, stating, “It was like he had a spell on me… it was like I was held hostage and had to play a role.”
The following men were sentenced:
- Bogdan Gugiuman, 44, was jailed for 14 years for rape and supplying a class A drug.
- Codrin Dura, 27, received a 13-year sentence for rape, sexual activity with a child, blackmail, attempted rape, serious sexual assault, supplying a class A drug, and arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence.
- Leonard Paun, 23, was jailed for five years and one month for rape, arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence, sexual activity with a child, sexual assault, supplying a class A drug, and distributing photos of a child.
- Stefan Ciuraru, 22, was jailed for 18 months for four counts of sexual assault, sexual activity with a child, and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
- Klaudio Aleksiu, 28, from Windsor, was jailed for six years for rape.
The judge noted that the men’s nationality was irrelevant to the sentencing but pointed out that they had all come to the country legally, most as children, and remained legitimately.
A sixth man was found not guilty of all charges. Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Graeme Barr thanked the victims for their “composure and dignity,” acknowledging the complexity of the investigation and the devastating impact on the girls’ lives.
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