Shahban Arif was not accused of attacking the girl but he did organise the travel of his rapist friend
This is the man with a ‘rat-like face’ who helped his vile friends rape and exploit a vulnerable 16-year-old girl. Shahban Arif, 42, organised the travel and hotel room where a runaway girl was abused by a group of men.
Arif booked one of the hotel rooms where the teenager was housed in Walsall, West Midlands, after long-time pal Arqash Zaffar picked her up in Birmingham in July 2019. He used Zaffar’s BMW vehicle details and a false name on the booking, a trial at Birmingham Crown Court heard.
Arif, 42, of Holden Crescent, Walsall was found guilty of arranging the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, BirminghamLive reports. Three other men, including Zaffar, were convicted of either raping or sexually assaulting the girl.
Arif was the only one out of the group who was not accused of attacking her. He was also the only one identified by his appearance as opposed to a nickname she heard the others being referred to.
When the girl came forward to the police she described him as a ‘small, proper skinny old guy’, with a ‘rat-like face’.
Arif was subsequently designated the unfortunate nickname of ‘rat’ for the purpose of the trial. The jury was told Zaffar picked up Arif on the way to driving the girl to Greater Manchester.
Once there it was alleged the men snorted cocaine in co-defendant Shiraz Nassar’s flat, before Zaffar and Nassar raped her in the bedroom. The prosecution said it was afterwards that Arif booked a hotel room in Walsall for Zaffar to take the girl.
Arif was arrested on October 2020. He asked ‘frantic questions’ when he was told of the offence of which he was suspected. He commented that he was ‘surprised’ at being arrested and then answered no comment.
Tim Clarke KC, prosecuting, said: “We understand the defence of Mr Arif is that he accepts being in the company of (the girl) but denies being aware of anything untoward. He states, however, that he was intoxicated throughout the time he was with her.”
Whilst missing from home in the summer of 2019 the girl was repeatedly raped by Zaffar, including in front of a number of other men who took turns abusing her in a hotel room. She was also sexually assaulted in the back of Zaffar’s car by his friend Mohammed Nadim.
Zaffar, 41, of Persehouse Street, Walsall, was found guilty of five counts of rape, four of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent and one of arranging the travel of another person with a view to exploitation.
Nadim, 45, of Wednesbury Road, Walsall, was found guilty of one count of sexual assault.
Nassar, 40, of Fir Road, Denton, Greater Manchester, was convicted of one charge of rape. Sentencing was adjourned until March 19 next year.
