Mohammed Akram and Usman Khalid have been put behind bars for their rape of a young girl

Grooming gang members who sexually abused a 12-year-old girl have been sentenced to a collective 27 years in prison.

In May Mohammed Akram and Usman Khalid were found guilty of sexual abuse following a three week trial at Leeds Crown Court.

Their target was picked up by a grooming gang at the age of just 11 and was raped numerous times over a number of years.

She was 12 when Akram, 33, sexually abused her for the first time, with 31-year-old Khalid's single assault of the girl happening when she was the same age.

Khalid was sentenced to five years and Akram 22 years, to run concurrently to the 17 year sentence he was already serving.

The pair are the latest to be jailed following investigations by West Yorkshire Police as part of Operation Tendersea.

Between January and October last year 20 men were convicted and locked up for a total of 257 years for crimes that took place between 2004 and 2011.

Following their convictions DCI Richard McNamara, of Kirklees District Police, said: 'This investigation in Kirklees has been extremely sensitive and complex and we are pleased that these convictions have been secured for the victim.'

I would like to praise the victim for her courage in coming forward and firstly disclosing the offences, then going on to bravely give evidence.

'I hope the outcome of this trial will enable her to start to put this trauma behind her and reassure any other potential victims that we will treat them with the utmost sensitivity and take positive action against perpetrators.'

'Child sexual exploitation is one of the most important challenges facing the police and is a top priority for West Yorkshire Police.'

Author's comment: Better late than never, I suppose. Islamic grooming gangs have operated with impunity for decades in every major town and city in this country, with those in authority at every level having been reluctant to take action for fear of being called 'racist' and 'Islamophobic'. It's good to see some serious sentences being handed down at long last.