The trial of an alleged grooming gang in the UK has been abandoned after concerns were raised about a WhatsApp group set up by jurors. The telegraph reported.
The case, relating to the alleged rape and sexual abuse of two teenagers in the Greater Manchester town of Rochdale between 2003 and 2006, was being heard at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.
The trial against six male suspects began in October last year but was halted about two months later when one of the 12 jurors informed court officials that several jurors had discussed a television show about recruiting gangs in their private WhatsApp group chat.
Following the development, Judge Matthew Corbett-Jones, during an inquest, reviewed all messages exchanged.
The court was told that in one conversation, one of the jurors warned others not to watch the show, but despite this, another juror responded: “I’m going to watch it anyway,” followed by a smiling emoji.
Another juror also said he would watch the broadcast, the court was told.
All the jurors were later questioned, but they maintained that none of them had actually seen the program. Defense attorneys disputed this claim, suggesting that the two jurors may not have been telling the truth, and asked the judge to question them further.
Judge Corbett-Jones declined to question the jurors again and instead agreed with the defense submissions.
“It is with considerable regret and disappointment that I have concluded that the multiplicity of issues that have now arisen and the uncertainty over these issues means that, whatever course of action I take, there remain unanswered questions,” the judge ruled.
In delivering his decision, the judge said he regretted having to stop the trial, but explained that multiple issues had arisen that left unresolved questions that could not be resolved. It concluded that no reasonable measure could address the situation due to the “stratified nature of the problems.”
A new trial is scheduled for August.
The restrictions that prevented reporting the reasons for the jury’s dismissal were lifted on Friday following a request from the Manchester Evening News.
The accused: Tahir Rashid, 54 years old; Mohamed Saleem, 46 years old; Iftaq Hussain, 45 years old; and Sucklane Shah, 46, all denied rape charges.
Arshad Mohammed, 55, denied rape and assault by penetration, while Amjad Mahmood, 53, denied allegations including rape, indecent assault, indecency with a child and assault by penetration. Rashid also pleaded not guilty to another rape allegation dating back to the late 1980s.
