Five men have been convicted of being part of a grooming gang that raped and sexually assaulted girls they encountered in a park. One victim, a 14-year-old girl, was introduced to cocaine by the men and subsequently coerced into engaging in sexual activities, as disclosed in Newcastle Crown Court. The crimes occurred between 2015 and 2019 in Gateshead, where four Romanian men and one Albanian man were found guilty of various offenses. The group specifically targeted vulnerable young girls at Saltwell Park, with a sixth man being acquitted of all charges. The convicted individuals are awaiting sentencing while in custody.
Codrin Dura, aged 27, was found guilty of multiple charges including rape, sexual activity with a child, attempted rape, blackmail, and sexual assault involving a girl referred to as Girl A. He was also convicted of raping another girl, Girl B, arranging a child sex offense, and supplying Class A drugs.
Leonard Paun, aged 23, was convicted of sexual activity with a child and one count of rape concerning Girl B. He was also found guilty of arranging a child sex offense, distributing indecent child images, and supplying Class A drugs.
Bogdan Gugiuman, aged 44, was convicted of three counts of rape related to Girl B and supplying Class A drugs. Klaudio Aleksiu, aged 28, was found guilty of raping Girl B and supplying Class A drugs.
Stefan Ciuraru, aged 22, was convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault involving several girls, sexual activity with a child, and incitement of a child to engage in sexual activity.
After more than three days of deliberation, the jury delivered their verdicts. Judge Tim Gittins commended the jurors for their dedication and warned the convicted individuals of the likelihood of a prison sentence.
Authorities emphasized that victims of sexual offenses have lifelong anonymity and should not be identified. Detective Chief Inspector Graeme Barr of Northumbria Police praised the courage and dignity of the victims, condemning the abhorrent actions of the perpetrators.
Charlotte Dennison, the head of the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) Unit at CPS North East, highlighted that some victims were exploited by multiple perpetrators through substance abuse. She expressed hope that the victims find solace in knowing that their bravery led to the convictions of those who abused them.