A couple who trafficked a 10-year-old girl to the UK who was repeatedly raped and kept as a domestic servant for nearly a decade.
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom -- Ilyas and Tallat Ashar brought the girl, who is Deaf, from
Pakistan and kept her at their home in
Eccles, Salford, where she slept in the cellar. Ilyas Ashar, 84, was also found guilty of 13 counts of raping the girl, now in her 20s, who was found in 2009. The couple will be sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on 23 October.
Tallat Ashar, 68, was found guilty of
trafficking and benefit fraud at an earlier trial, as was her husband. This can now be reported after the lifting of reporting restrictions, following Ilyas Ashar's conviction for rape at a retrial.
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was only found after trading standards officials visited their Cromwell Road home investigating allegations of illegal activity.
Deaf girl was found in the cellar, which was described as "sparse, cold and damp". Police said the girl cleaned and cooked at the house, and was taken to other houses belonging to the family to carry out domestic chores.
Details of the victim's ordeal only emerged after she was taught
sign language, enabling her to be interviewed by police. Thousands of pounds in benefits were claimed in the victim's name and a number of bank accounts were set up using her details, police said.
The couple's daughter, Faaiza Ashar, 46, was also found guilty of benefit fraud at an earlier trial. Judge Peter Lakin warned Ilyas Ashar to expect a "substantial prison sentence". Ch Supt May Doyle, from Greater Manchester Police, described Ilyas Ashar as "pure evil"...
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