.svg)
A three-month trial at Caernarfon Crown Court concluded on August 3, 2026, with unanimous jury verdicts against all five defendants. The court heard how the gang treated their victims—aged just 14, 15, and 16—as "sexual commodities" in a campaign of abuse spanning from April 2022 to March 2024.
The convictions represent the culmination of Operation Embank and Operation Zirconium, two linked North Wales Police investigations targeting child sexual exploitation and human trafficking in the Denbighshire area.
Judge Simon Mills informed the convicted individuals they face "significant terms of immediate custody," with sentencing scheduled for September 25, 2026.
Mustafa Iqbal (43, Trellewelyn Road, Rhyl)
The ringleader, described in court as a drug dealer and takeaway delivery driver, was convicted of the most extensive charges—21 offences in total, including four counts of rape, three of sexual assault, and conspiracy to traffic. Iqbal was the only defendant who chose not to give evidence during the trial. He was found guilty of raping 15-year-old Child B and 16-year-old Child A, and sexually assaulting 14-year-old Child C. He also pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited weapon.
Mohamed Usman Arshad (36, Clifton Grove, Rhyl)
The former owner of Zayn's Coffee House in Rhyl. Arshad was convicted of three counts of rape, two counts of conspiracy to traffic, two counts of conspiracy to require a person to perform compulsory labour, and supplying cannabis. One rape occurred in an alleyway outside his former business. During the trial, Arshad claimed the allegation was "mind-boggling" and that he believed the girl was 17.
Ziaullah Badshah (25, Brighton Road, Rhyl)
A refugee who arrived in Rhyl from Pakistan at age 15. Badshah was convicted of two counts of rape, two counts of conspiracy to traffic, two counts of conspiracy to require compulsory labour, and supplying cannabis. He admitted kissing and having sex with Child B but claimed it was consensual and he believed she was 17. Badshah told the jury he suffers from depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
Jaswinder Singh (65, River Street, Rhyl)
A former builder living on disability benefits. Singh was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to traffic and one count of supplying cannabis. He took 15-year-old Child B to London in April 2022, instructing her to pretend to be his 22-year-old carer to avoid his sister suspecting he was part of an "Asian grooming gang". A concerned adult alerted police, leading to the gang's unmasking.
Sarah Gray (53, Llanasa Road, Gronant)
The only female defendant, Gray was found guilty of assisting an offender, perverting the course of justice, and conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis. She allowed Iqbal to use her home as a "safe house" to sexually exploit Child A and washed bedding following a rape involving handcuffs. After her conviction, Gray asked members of the press: "Are you happy?"
The court protected the identities of the three young women, known only as Child A, Child B, and Child C.
Child B (15) and Child C (14) were approached by Iqbal near a petrol station in Rhyl in March 2022. After smoking cannabis, they were invited to Iqbal's home, where Arshad and Badshah joined them. Over approximately four weeks, the men supplied drugs in exchange for non-consensual sexual activity.
Child A (16), residing in a care home, was targeted by Iqbal in late 2023. He supplied her with crack cocaine and cannabis in return for sex over several months. After police instructed Iqbal to cease contact in January 2024, he continued using Gray's home as a "safe house," sometimes having Child A hide in the back seat of his car to transport her. Her ordeal ended when she reported being handcuffed and raped.
Prosecutor Owen Edwards KC told the jury the defendants treated the girls as "sexual commodities". The court heard that Iqbal concluded the girls were "ripe for sexual exploitation" when he first encountered them.
Evidence revealed the men were "friends who shared details of what they could get the girls to do". A third victim, Child E, was contacted by Iqbal even while under investigation—asking "if her mother was in"—breaching his Slavery and Trafficking Risk Order.
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Richard Sidney emphasised the victims' courage: "No child should have to experience what these young women endured. The impact of child sexual exploitation can be profound and long-lasting".
He added: "The defendants denied almost every allegation against them from the outset. Rather than accepting responsibility, they forced these young women to endure the additional trauma of a lengthy trial".
A Denbighshire council spokesperson acknowledged: "We understand that this case has been challenging and has brought up strong feelings. We ask that everyone respects the legal process."
A separate review by the North Wales Safeguarding Board will examine agencies' involvement with the young people and identify lessons for the future.
All five convicted individuals—Mustafa Iqbal, Mohamed Usman Arshad, Ziaullah Badshah, Jaswinder Singh, and Sarah Gray—have been remanded in custody to await sentencing at Caernarfon Crown Court on September 25, 2026. The court has warned that significant custodial sentences will be imposed.
