BREAKING: Huddersfield grooming gang jailed for total of 221 years. A THREAD.
The town joins at least a dozen towns and cities across England where hundreds – if not thousands – of girls and young people have been sexually exploited by #groominggangs over the last few decades. #CSE #CSA
20 men were convicted during three trials at #LeedsCrownCourt throughout 2018.
One of the survivors spoke to me exclusively describing the majority of the sentences as 'brilliant'.
The ringleader has been jailed for LIFE with a minimum of 18 years. Or as I like to think of it, at least an entire childhood. How amazing is that?! 😭🙌🏼 #justice
Another man has also been jailed for 18 years (but he'll only have to serve half of that).
Yes, this was the case that Stephen Yaxley-Lennon aka #TommyRobinson claimed the media were 'ignoring' and was a 'cover-up'. 🤔 (This will be embarrassing for him).
The local newspaper – @Examiner – has the most in-depth coverage of this case, including how two of the men were brothers, one of whom was already serving time for #CSE when he was tried in this case, and the men who walked FREE from court. examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-york…
And we'll continue to follow it up with more coverage over the coming days and months.
To briefly address the #FreeTommy issue, here's the reason the media (or anyone else) couldn't report on the case during the trials: the results of the preceding trial/s could have biased the subsequent juries. Simple as that.
Breaching the restriction risked 1. jail (no thanks) and (more importantly) 2. ephebophiles walking free from court or being able to appeal their convictions and, again, being back on our streets. examinerlive.co.uk/news/uk-world-…
Apparently in a letter from prison, the self-proclaimed 'vigilante reporter' claimed that he was 'in discussions' with people (presumably he meant these victims) who 'relied' on HIM to tell their stories.
Well, I highly doubt that any ONE of those 16 girls did (but am obviously willing to stand corrected). And if so, where was he during the trials? He didn't attend even one MINUTE of them.
Side note: he says he's spending his time writing a book about himself, instead of reading one he desperately needs to - Essential Media Law for Journalists. Lesson not learned apparently.
Speaking of the far right, here's a fact-based discourse about NOT using cases like this to promote Islamophobia. You don't have to agree with facts, but if they make you feel like threatening me with physical and sexual violence, take a walk instead. examinerlive.co.uk/news/news-opin…
It's a point that's been made in the past by the #Rotherham grooming gang prosecutor...
And most importantly of all, it's a point that's already been made by some grooming gang survivors, including this one...
Finally, sincere congratulations to the courageous young women who went through YEARS of emotional turmoil to ensure that these monsters paid for what they did. 👏🏼 I hope they truly feel justice has been served.
I will update this thread/Moment with our latest #OperationTendersea coverage as it goes live.
Here's our summary of the case: examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-york…
Here, I summarise the case live and @WestYorksPolice, the CPS and @KirkleesCouncil make statements: facebook.com/HuddersfieldEx…
PICTURED: All 20 convicted defendants. 
FULL details on ringleader Amere Singh Dhaliwal: examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-york…
Full details on main victim who we’ve decided to rename Girl A: examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-york…
Evidence that local schools, police, social services and even MPs knew what was going on examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-york…
Parents’ perspective on why it was so difficult to stop what was happening to their daughter/s: examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-york…
Timeline from 2004 right up to yesterday, including the reporting restriction issue: examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-york…
