Five men who systematically exploited vulnerable teenage girls in a Tyneside park have been convicted of multiple serious sexual offences following an eight-week trial at Newcastle Crown Court.
Four Romanian nationals and one Albanian man face lengthy prison sentences after a jury found them guilty of crimes committed against six victims between 2015 and 2019 in Gateshead. The convictions, delivered on Tuesday, mark the conclusion of a complex police investigation into organised child sexual exploitation in the North East.
Codrin Dura, 27, Leonard Paun, 23, Stefan Ciuraru, 22, Bogdan Gugiuman, 44, and Klaudio Aleksiu, 28, were all remanded in custody following the guilty verdicts. A sixth defendant, Ionut Mihai, was cleared of all charges.
Vulnerable Girls Exploited for Sexual Favours
Newcastle Crown Court heard harrowing evidence of how the men preyed upon immature and vulnerable teenagers, grooming them with gifts of cigarettes and alcohol before subjecting them to sexual abuse. Prosecutor Anne Richardson described victims who were “immature, vulnerable, seeking to please” when targeted by the group.
“The Crown’s case is these personality traits were exploited by some of the defendants, to a greater or lesser extent,” Richardson told jurors. “A number of the complainants were bought or given alcohol and or cigarettes in exchange for sexual favours.”
The prosecutor explained that victims were “exploited and encouraged to engage in sexual activity” not because they desired it, but “because they felt beholden and in some cases enthralled” to their abusers. One 14-year-old victim became addicted to cocaine supplied by gang members and was passed between different men for sex.
Sexual assaults occurred at multiple locations including Saltwell Park, various addresses around Gateshead, and what the court heard described as a “prostitute’s house”. The systematic nature of the abuse saw some victims exploited by multiple defendants over extended periods.
Ringleaders Face Dozens of Charges
Codrin Dura, of Ripon Street in Gateshead, was convicted of the most extensive list of offences. The 27-year-old was found guilty of four counts of rape, four counts of sexual activity with a child, blackmail, attempted rape, serious sexual assault, supplying a Class A drug, and arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence.
Leonard Paun, 23, of Windsor Avenue in Gateshead, received convictions on five counts of rape, two counts of arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence, sexual activity with a child, sexual assault, supplying a Class A drug, and distributing photos of a child.
Bogdan Gugiuman, 44, of Westbourne Avenue in Gateshead, was found guilty of three counts of rape and supplying a Class A drug. Stefan Ciuraru, 22, of Brinkburn Avenue in Gateshead, was convicted of four counts of sexual assault, sexual activity with a child, and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Klaudio Aleksiu, 28, of Church Terrace in Windsor, Berkshire, was found guilty of rape.
Police Praise Victims’ Courage
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Graeme Barr of Northumbria Police commended the bravery shown by victims throughout the investigation and trial. “Firstly, I want to start by praising the bravery, composure and dignity of the victims in this case,” he said.
“This has been a complex investigation which has taken time and support will continue to be available to them. Every child has the right to grow up safe from harm but for these girls their childhood was snatched from them in the cruellest of ways.”
DCI Barr emphasised that the perpetrators had now been held accountable. “The perpetrators in this case have committed horrific offences for which they have now been found guilty. I would like to further thank my colleagues and partners who worked tirelessly to help ensure they were brought to justice.”
He encouraged other victims to come forward. “We would encourage anyone who has been the victim of any form of abuse, no matter when it took place, to come forward. We want our message to be a clear one: we are here for you. We will listen and we will treat you with empathy, compassion and respect.”
Lasting Trauma for Survivors
Charlotte Dennison, Head of the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit at CPS North East, described how victims descended from initial contact with one person into being routinely passed between gang members whilst heavily intoxicated.
“Those convicted today each played a part in grooming vulnerable girls into sexual activity, with some of the victims being exploited by multiple men after being plied with drugs and alcohol,” Dennison stated.
“For some of the victims, what began as a relationship with one person descended into them being passed between group members, where they were routinely abused while heavily intoxicated.”
She acknowledged the lasting impact on survivors. “The Crown Prosecution Service has worked closely with Northumbria Police to build a robust case against these men. Their abuse of these girls has had a lasting and traumatic effect upon them, which continues to impact on their mental and emotional wellbeing into their adult life.”
Dennison expressed hope that the convictions would provide some measure of comfort. “We hope that, for each of them, they can take some measure of comfort from knowing that they have played a part in helping us to secure these convictions against their abusers today.”
Sentencing Delayed for Pre-Sentence Reports
Judge Tim Gittins told the five convicted men that imprisonment was “likely” given they had been “convicted of serious sexual offences against young women”. All five were remanded in custody pending sentence.
The judge indicated sentencing would take place within approximately six weeks, advising defendants to cooperate with the preparation of pre-sentence reports. These reports will assess the men’s backgrounds, risk levels and suitability for various sentencing options before final punishment is determined.
The case adds to a troubling pattern of organised child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted across England in recent years, with similar grooming gang convictions secured in Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford, Telford and Newcastle.
Northumbria Police’s investigation uncovered systematic exploitation of girls aged between 13 and 16, with the trial beginning in August 2025 before concluding with guilty verdicts this week.
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