Eight men have been charged with a total of 34 offences, including 17 counts of rape, in connection with a major investigation into historical child sexual exploitation. Operation Oak, which has spanned years and several locations across the UK, has led to the arrests of individuals from various regions of England, Scotland, and Wales.
The complex inquiry, led by Gwent Police, focused on allegations of group-based child sex abuse in south Wales. The charges relate to alleged sexual abuse committed against multiple victims when they were children, with the period of concern identified as between 1985 and 1996.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised the charges, with Jenny Hopkins, chief crown prosecutor for Wales, stating that sufficient evidence had been established to bring the case to court. In a statement, she reminded that pursuing criminal proceedings is in the public interest and also issued a warning that the defendants are entitled to a fair trial.
The men, aged between 54 and 73, are all British citizens. They will appear before Newport Magistrates' Court on 24 July 2026. Among those charged are Shafaq Mohammed, 58, of Birmingham, facing 11 offences including four counts of rape of a female under 16, and Mohammed Sheikh Abdul Hannan, 54, of Edinburgh, charged with eight offences including two counts of rape of a female aged 16 or over.
Other defendants include Syed Mohammad Ashan Taqvi, 65, of Newport, charged with three counts of rape of a female under 16; Kevin Lawrence, 54, of Dunoon, charged with three offences including conspiring to rape; Sheikh Mohammed Tahir Ullah, 73, of Newport, charged with two counts of rape; Aminur Rahman Chowdhury, 58, of Tottenham, charged with one count of rape; Shakeel Babur, 58, of Lancashire, charged with four counts of indecent assault; and Murad Ali, 57, of Swansea, charged with two counts of rape of a female under 16.