A shop worker in Doncaster has been jailed for 29 years over a string of offences relating to child sexual exploitation. The sentence came after seven girls under the age of 16 came forward and spoke about the abuse they had suffered.
The man, Bawan Harwe, an Iraqi asylum seeker, worked at the Hexthorpe Mini Market, a corner shop on the high street. He lived nearby, above the shop.
According to the case, he used social media under a false identity to make contact with the girls. He advertised free vapes and sent messages offering cash and e-cigarettes to gain their trust.
The young girls were then brought to Doncaster, to flats above the high street where he worked. There, six of the girls were raped. The youngest was just 12 years old.
Harwe did not act alone. A co-worker, aged 21, was found guilty of multiple modern slavery offences in connection with the case. Named as Sharam Muhamadi, he has absconded and remains on the run.
The case has also drawn attention to the shop itself. Residents say the Hexthorpe Mini Market had been repeatedly raided over the sale of illegal tobacco, with neighbours describing the street as lawless.
Locals have linked the two issues, arguing that the shop should have been shut down. For the schoolgirls who live nearby, the case has left a lasting fear, with many saying they are now frightened to walk down the high street.