The trial of an alleged grooming gang in the UK has been abandoned after concerns emerged over a WhatsApp group set up by members of the jury, The telegraph reported.
The case – which relates to the alleged rape and sexual abuse of two teenage girls in the Greater Manchester town of Rochdale between 2003 and 2006 – was heard at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.
The trial of six male suspects began last October, but was halted about two months later when one of the 12 jurors informed court officials that several jurors had discussed a TV program about grooming gangs in their private WhatsApp group chats.
Following the development, Judge Matthew Corbett-Jones, during an inquest, reviewed all the messages exchanged.
The court was told that in a conversation one of the jurors warned others to watch the show, but despite that, another juror replied: “I’m going to watch it anyway,” followed by a smiley emoji.
Another juror also said they wanted to watch the broadcast, the court was told.
All the jurors were later questioned, but they maintained that none of them had actually seen the programme. Defense attorneys disputed that claim, suggesting the two jurors might not be truthful, and asked the judge to question them further.
Judge Corbett-Jones declined to question the jurors again and instead agreed with the defence’s submissions.
“With considerable regret and disappointment, I have come to the conclusion that the many issues that have now arisen and the uncertainty surrounding these issues mean that whatever course of action I take, unanswered questions remain,” the judge ruled.
When the judge made his decision, he said he regretted having to stop the trial, but explained that several problems had arisen, leaving unresolved doubts that could not be resolved. He concluded that no reasonable steps could resolve the situation because of the “layered nature” of the problems.
A new trial is scheduled for August.
Restrictions preventing reporting of the reasons behind the jury’s discharge were lifted on Friday following an application by Manchester Evening News.
The accused – Tahir Rashid, 54; Mohammed Saleem, 46; Iftaq Hussain, 45; and Sucklane Shah, 46 – all pleaded not guilty to rape charges.
Arshad Mohammed, 55, denied rape and assault by penetration, while Amjad Mahmood, 53, denied charges including rape, indecent assault, indecency with a child and assault by penetration. Rashid has also pleaded not guilty to a further rape charge dating back to the late 1980s.
