Men jailed for Birmingham abduction and sex assault of girl, 11

The next day, the pair told the victim she was being taken to the house of “a woman, who could help” her and she was given an old hoodie to wear.

A member of the public then intervened, the court heard, and extracted the victim from the pair.

In her statement, the girl added: “I thought the men would help me, but they did not. I still have nightmares and flashbacks.

“After this happened, I hated myself. What they did has changed my life forever and that will never change.”

Judge Roderick Henderson described it as an “extremely serious” crime, saying the pair were “opportunistic”.

He added that Ali tried to sexually assault “a desperately vulnerable youth” and no attempt was made by either one of the men to contact police or other authorities.

Before sentencing, defence barrister Simon Williams said Ali had “experienced trauma” in Somalia, which had affected his mental health, and had turned to alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism.

Appearing by video link for Sharif’s defence, Simon Burch said the defendant, who also appeared by video link from HMP Hewell in Worcestershire, had experienced “various tragedies” including the deaths of his wife and uncle.

Sharif, 36, from Birmingham, was jailed for five years for child abduction after the judge told the court he was “the driving force in the abduction”.

Ali, 28, also from Birmingham, was sentenced to seven years on a concurrent jail sentence after being found guilty of both detaining a child after keeping them under unlawful control and assault by touching a child under the age of 13.

As well as the custodial sentence, Ali will be placed on the sex offenders register for life. Both men will be subject to restraining orders.