A Rotherham rapist who groomed and targeted two vulnerable teenage girls in the early 2000s has been jailed for 19 years at Sheffield Crown Court, with the judge indicating deportation could follow once the Afghan national completes his prison sentence.
Obaidullah Omari, 46, from Washington Road, Sheffield, was found guilty of three counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault following a two-week trial. The jury heard how Omari, who was in his 20s at the time, gave alcohol and drugs to his victims aged just 13 and 14 before subjecting them to horrific abuse between 2003 and 2004.
In powerful victim impact testimony shared exclusively with GB News, one survivor confronted her abuser directly from the witness box, declaring: “You stole my childhood, now I am taking your freedom. I am your karma.”
Two Decades of Trauma
The National Crime Agency’s Operation Stovewood, which investigates historic child sexual abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013, brought the case after both victims came forward more than 20 years after their ordeals.
Senior investigating officer Alan Hastings described the offences as “unimaginable,” praising the victims’ courage. Today Omari begins an appropriately substantial prison sentence for the sexual offences he committed against two girls more than 20 years ago,” he said following Thursday’s sentencing.
“The victims demonstrated immense courage both in reporting Omari’s crimes and in giving evidence against him. I’m pleased that Operation Stovewood has been able to secure justice for the women and I hope Omari’s conviction helps them move forward with their lives.”
The court heard how Omari, known by the nickname ‘Naj’, raped the first victim multiple times at two locations, including his house in Eastwood and in his car. He was also convicted of raping the second girl on one occasion.
Victim’s Powerful Statement
In her victim impact statement, one survivor directly addressed her attacker, revealing the devastating long-term impact of his crimes. “My abuse started before my 12th birthday. I was abused by gangs of men, you, Naj, were one of them,” she stated.
“I was just a little girl when you saw an opportunity to befriend me and take full advantage of my vulnerabilities. You knew how old I was and that didn’t stop you.”
The woman continued: “I was just a child and you violated my trust. What you did to me has never left me, whenever I think of that night, it’s like it only happened yesterday. You did not just steal my childhood, you have stolen the rest of my life. The trauma you inflicted on me will never go away.”
She concluded her statement with defiant words: “When you met me, I was just a fragile and vulnerable little girl who you could easily abuse! Today, I am a woman with a voice and my only goal is justice.”
“Over 20 years ago, you first groomed me. 11 years ago, I started my fight for justice. Today I got that!”
Vulnerable Victims Targeted
Prosecutor Matthew Bean told jurors that both girls were “the product of fractured or failing families” and were being looked after in the care system when the abuse occurred. This vulnerability made them prime targets for exploitation.
The jury acquitted Omari on one count of raping a child under 13 relating to the second victim. His co-defendant, Shafakit Hussain, 46, of Highlow View, Brinsworth, Rotherham, was found not guilty of three counts of rape in relation to the second victim.
Operation Stovewood’s Ongoing Mission
Omari becomes the 48th person convicted as part of Operation Stovewood, described as the single biggest law enforcement investigation into non-familial child sexual exploitation and abuse in the UK. Those already sentenced have received jail terms totalling more than 470 years.
The operation was established in 2014 following the explosive Jay Report, which revealed that at least 1,400 children in Rotherham had been subjected to grooming and abuse by gangs of men between 1997 and 2013. The report described how police and social services had failed to act on multiple warnings about the abuse.
To date, Operation Stovewood has identified around 1,150 potential victims and made more than 220 arrests. Criminal proceedings are expected to continue until 2027, though the NCA stopped taking on new cases from January 2024, with any fresh allegations now handled by South Yorkshire Police.
Deportation Prospects
The judge’s indication that deportation could follow Omari’s sentence reflects recent government policy changes. In June 2025, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that anyone convicted of sexual offences would be excluded from the asylum system and denied refugee status.
“Those who groom children or commit sexual offences will not be granted asylum in the UK. We will do everything in our power to remove them,” Starmer declared when announcing new measures following Baroness Casey’s audit into group-based child sexual exploitation.
The issue of deportation has proved contentious in similar cases. Members of the Rochdale grooming gang, including Qari Abdul Rauf and Adil Khan, have frustrated deportation attempts for over a decade by renouncing their Pakistani citizenship, rendering themselves stateless and exploiting international law protections.
National Inquiry Announced
The conviction comes months after the government announced a full national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs, following recommendations from the National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. The Casey audit found that the ethnicity of perpetrators had been “shied away from” and called for better data collection to restore public trust.
The audit noted that in Operation Stovewood specifically, of the 323 child sex abuse suspects and 42 individuals convicted, nearly two-thirds were of Pakistani ethnic background. However, it emphasised that nationally, ethnicity data was insufficient to draw conclusions at a national level.
Encouraging Other Victims
Alan Hastings urged other victims to come forward regardless of how much time has passed. I encourage victims of child sexual abuse to report it to police, no matter how long ago the offending took place,” he stated.
The NCA emphasised that specially trained officers are available to support victims through the reporting and court process. Many of Operation Stovewood’s convictions have come from victims who found the courage to report abuse decades after it occurred.
Legacy of Failure
The Rotherham scandal exposed catastrophic failures by authorities who should have protected vulnerable children. Multiple reports between 2002 and 2007 by researcher Angie Heal warned of widespread abuse, but were largely ignored by police and council officials.
The scandal led to resignations of senior council officials and police leaders, with Rotherham Council itself found to be “not fit for purpose” following government intervention. The lasting impact continues to reverberate through British society, prompting ongoing debates about child protection, institutional failures, and the need for cultural change within communities.
As Omari begins his lengthy sentence, his victim’s words echo powerfully: after more than two decades, justice has finally been served. The survivor thanked the NCA for their support, demonstrating that whilst the trauma inflicted can never be erased, the pursuit of justice can provide some measure of closure for those brave enough to confront their abusers.
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