Decades-long trail of abuse across Leeds and Cumbria ends with life sentences for ringleaders of grooming operation

Three brothers who systematically abused underage girls in Leeds and Barrow-in-Furness over nearly 15 years have received lengthy prison sentences, including two life terms, at Preston Crown Court.

Shaha Amran Miah, 49, Shaha Alman Miah, 47, and Shah Joman Miah, 38, orchestrated a prolonged campaign of sexual abuse that began in a Leeds mosque and continued above their family takeaway in Barrow, Cumbria. The abuse spanned from 1996 to 2010, targeting vulnerable children as young as seven years old.

The court delivered substantial sentences reflecting the gravity of their crimes. Shah Joman Miah, known as Sarj, received life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years and 232 days. His brother Shaha Amran Miah, known as Jai, was sentenced to life with a minimum of 20 years and 338 days. The third brother, Shaha Alman Miah, known as Ali, received 10 years in prison plus four years on licence.

Prosecutor Tim Evans KC described how the brothers employed “classic grooming techniques,” providing their victims with cigarettes, alcohol, food, and hair extensions. The court heard disturbing evidence of how they created an environment specifically designed to facilitate abuse.

The brothers’ methods grew increasingly menacing when faced with exposure. In a particularly chilling incident from 2009, one victim was violently grabbed by her hair and forced into a van after speaking with police. The Crown Prosecution Service detailed how Jai, present during the incident, supported threats that the victim “would be dead” if she had disclosed anything.

The prosecution demonstrated how the brothers strategically undermined attempts to bring them to justice. Jai actively intimidated potential witnesses, successfully deterring at least one woman from providing evidence to police in 2010.

A key witness described the scene of the abuse as “looking like a crack house,” with mattresses on the floor and covered windows in a room above the family takeaway. The court heard how schoolgirls in uniform were frequently seen at the premises, with the brothers fully aware of their victims’ ages.

The convictions encompass a wide range of serious offences. Shaha Amran Miah was found guilty of 16 sexual offences against three girls, including rape, alongside charges of intimidation and kidnap. Shah Joman Miah’s conviction covered 40 separate offences, including nine counts of child rape. Shaha Alman Miah was convicted of three counts of sexual activity with a child.

Judge Unsworth KC emphasised how the brothers had “shattered the lives” of their victims while hiding in plain sight within the community. Despite Shah Joman Miah’s late admission of guilt, the judge dismissed this as a possible cynical attempt to secure leniency.