A MAN has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a pregnant teenager after a night out and has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.

Bilal Ahmed, 27, from Maidenhead, was today convicted of carrying out the crime in a house on Cowley Road, Oxford, in the early hours of December 17, 2011.

His cousin Zeeshan Ahmed, 28, of Palmer Road, Wood Farm, Oxford, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice in relation to the same complainant after he tried to stop her talking to police.

He has been handed an 18-month sentence.

The verdicts were returned after a two-week trial in Oxford Crown Court.

Mustafa Ahmed, 26, from London, was also a defendant in the case but last week changed his plea and admitted sexually assaulting the girl after she woke up on a sofa.

There had been a court ban in place preventing the media from reporting that this was an investigation by the Operation Bullfinch team.

That ban was lifted today following an application by the Oxford Mail.

It can also now be reported that Zeeshan Ahmed was one of the seven men convicted in the first Bullfinch trial in May last year. He was convicted of two counts of engaging in sexual activity with two underage girls.

We had also been banned for more than a year from reporting Bilal Ahmed was one of those Bullfinch defendants as well. He was acquitted of sexual activity with a child.

Operation Bullfinch Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Joe Kidman said: “I would like to commend the courage of this brave young woman who gave evidence against the men who committed these serious sexual assaults on her when she was a child. We will continue to work closely with Social Services to support victims, whatever their age now and whenever the abuse occurred.

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“It has been over a year since a jury at the Old Bailey in London found seven men guilty of dozens of offences against young women in Oxford.

“The convictions here today show that Operation Bullfinch is continuing in earnest, with Thames Valley Police, the Crown Prosecution Service and Oxfordshire County Council working hard to protect vulnerable people and ensure that justice prevails. As an investigation team we are pleased to see offenders put behind bars and so reduce the risk to young people.

“If you have been the victim of sexual abuse, or may know of someone who has been a victim or offender, please contact us. We will listen to you and support you.”

Adrian Foster, chief Crown Prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said: “The abuse this girl was subjected to was truly appalling. No-one, let alone a child, should ever be exploited as this young victim was. I commend her bravery in coming forward and providing evidence for the prosecution. She enabled her abusers to face trial and be brought to justice.

“The men who have been convicted are nothing less than vicious sexual predators.

“I urge any victims of sexual offences to come forward and report their abuse. We will support you in giving evidence so that your attackers can be brought to justice and others like you can be saved from the horrific ordeal of abuse. I very much hope the verdicts provide some comfort for the victim of this case and for her family, and help them all to move on and rebuild their lives.”

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