Sheffield Man Convicted of Rotherham Grooming, Rape After 20 Years

Obaidullah Omari, 46, from Sheffield, has been found guilty of grooming and raping two vulnerable teenage girls in Rotherham between 2003 and 2004. The victims, aged 13 and 14 at the time, were given alcohol and drugs by Omari before he sexually abused them at two locations, including his home and his car. The convictions followed a two-week trial at Sheffield Crown Court and stem from the National Crime Agency's Operation Stovewood, an extensive investigation into historic child sexual abuse in Rotherham from 1997 to 2013. Omari was convicted on three counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault but was acquitted of one charge of raping a child under 13. His co-defendant, Shafakit Hussain, was found not guilty of related rape charges. Authorities and the NCA praised the bravery of the victims for coming forward after more than 20 years, which was crucial to securing the convictions, highlighting the ongoing efforts to address historic abuse in the region.