The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, first revealed the years of rape and sexual abuse when she told teachers she was too scared to return home.
Sussex Police were contacted shortly after leading to an investigation that uncovered severe physical and sexual abuse starting when the girl was only six years old. According to the prosecution, the abuse was constant and continued during religious holidays such as Eid.
The girl described being tied up, beaten, burned with cigarettes, and locked in cupboards without food. “He used to burn me with cigarettes a lot,” she told police during a recorded interview played in court.
When she tried to tell her mother what was happening, she said she was punished instead: “When mum was out, he used to touch me,” the girl said, referring to her father. “Mum tied me up with ropes and then locked me in the cupboard for a day or two without feeding me.” Prosecutors said her mother also rubbed salt into her burns “to make sure they never healed properly.”
Jennifer Knight KC, for the Crown, told jurors that the mother actively concealed the abuse and instructed her daughter to lie to police. “She describes her mother making sure that her burns never quite healed properly and putting salt on them to make them hurt,” Knight said. The girl was also made to cover her scars with makeup to hide the evidence.
After the family’s arrest in January, the girl was placed in foster care. But while on bail, relatives continued to pressure her to change her story, according to prosecutors. The mother allegedly told her daughter the family was “suffering” because of her and urged her to retract her claims.
"She said her grandfather was too old to be in prison for life,” Knight said. The girl would later say that she made up the allegations of physical abuse. "She said that she had also lied about being locked in the shoe-cupboard. She said that her mother had always fed her, looked after her and treated her fairly. She maintained however that all the sexual things she had described her grandfather, father and brothers doing to her were true and had happened as she described."
"She said that she wanted to protect her family at court. She said 'the truth I say will put my family in a worse position and I don't want that,'" Knight added.
The younger sister also reportedly was assaulted and neglected by her parents.
Detective Superintendent Andrew Harbour said: 'This has been a complex investigation that has had a profound impact on the two victims. Our priority continues to be ensuring their welfare and safeguarding in this highly traumatic and distressing case.
"We have worked alongside partner agencies to ensure the ongoing safeguarding of the young victims. Tackling violence against women and girls is a top priority for Sussex Police. We encourage all victims of rape and serious sexual offences to report their experience to us.
"Our officers have been determined to get justice in this case, and we are pleased with the guilty verdicts returned by the jury.
"We urge the public not to speculate about the case online as this may jeopardise the victims' legal right to anonymity."
The charges, as laid out by the Daily Mail are: “Father, aged 43, was convicted of five counts of rape of a child under 13, one count of sexual assault by penetration of a child under 13, three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and three counts of cruelty to a person under 16.
“Mother, aged 43, was convicted of four counts of cruelty to a person under 16, two counts of false imprisonment, and one count of perverting the course of justice.
“Grandfather, aged 70, was convicted of one count of sexual assault by penetration of a child under 13, and two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13.
“Brother, aged 23, was convicted of four counts of rape of a child under 13, one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
“Brother, aged 20, was convicted of four counts of rape of a child under 13, two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
“Uncle, aged 49, was convicted of one count of perverting justice."
