Gateshead Grooming Gang Sentenced to Lengthy Jail Terms for Heinous Crimes Against Schoolgirls
Five men, all Romanian nationals with ties to Gateshead, have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 18 months to 14 years for their roles in a "horrific" grooming gang that exploited and abused vulnerable schoolgirls in Saltwell Park. The victims, aged between 13 and 16 at the time of the abuse, were targeted by the group after being befriended with alcohol and cocaine.
The men, who were part of an eight-week trial at Newcastle Crown Court, were found guilty on 30 charges including rape, sexual assault, blackmail, and arranging or facilitating commission of child sex offenses. The victims showed remarkable bravery, composure, and dignity throughout the lengthy investigation, which was launched in July 2019 after receiving complaints from two girls who had no prior connection.
The court heard that the abuse range from minor forms of sexual assault to the most serious offenses of rape, including multiple perpetrators attacking a single victim. Police made significant efforts to gain the trust of the victims and to gather evidence against the perpetrators.
Graeme Barr, Deputy Chief Investigator at Northumbria police, praised the victims for their resilience in the face of unimaginable trauma. "The impact on them cannot be measured," he said. "Their childhood was snatched from them in the most cruel ways." The men will spend a significant portion of their lives behind bars, a measure of justice that will hopefully bring some comfort to the survivors and their families.
Bogdan Gugiuman received the longest sentence, 14 years, for three counts of rape and supplying a class A drug. Other convicted individuals include Codrin Dura, sentenced to 13 years, Klaudio Aleksiu, six years, Leonard Paun, five years and one month, and Stefan Ciuraru, 18 months, due to his youth at the time of the offense.
Five men, all Romanian nationals with ties to Gateshead, have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 18 months to 14 years for their roles in a "horrific" grooming gang that exploited and abused vulnerable schoolgirls in Saltwell Park. The victims, aged between 13 and 16 at the time of the abuse, were targeted by the group after being befriended with alcohol and cocaine.
The men, who were part of an eight-week trial at Newcastle Crown Court, were found guilty on 30 charges including rape, sexual assault, blackmail, and arranging or facilitating commission of child sex offenses. The victims showed remarkable bravery, composure, and dignity throughout the lengthy investigation, which was launched in July 2019 after receiving complaints from two girls who had no prior connection.
The court heard that the abuse range from minor forms of sexual assault to the most serious offenses of rape, including multiple perpetrators attacking a single victim. Police made significant efforts to gain the trust of the victims and to gather evidence against the perpetrators.
Graeme Barr, Deputy Chief Investigator at Northumbria police, praised the victims for their resilience in the face of unimaginable trauma. "The impact on them cannot be measured," he said. "Their childhood was snatched from them in the most cruel ways." The men will spend a significant portion of their lives behind bars, a measure of justice that will hopefully bring some comfort to the survivors and their families.
Bogdan Gugiuman received the longest sentence, 14 years, for three counts of rape and supplying a class A drug. Other convicted individuals include Codrin Dura, sentenced to 13 years, Klaudio Aleksiu, six years, Leonard Paun, five years and one month, and Stefan Ciuraru, 18 months, due to his youth at the time of the offense.
I mean, like, is it really that hard for us to have a respectful conversation without being bombarded with comments from trolls and spam bots? 
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they preyed on vulnerable kids with booze & coke, think theyre above the law 
14 yrs is way too short for what theyve done 
hope these survivors can finally find some peace & move forward with their lives 
grooming gang's heinous crimes against schoolgirls 
. The fact that these men used alcohol & cocaine to befriend and then exploit their victims is just disgusting 
. It's all about the victims here - let's make sure they get the support & justice they deserve 
. Can we please focus on preventing this kind of abuse from happening again? We need to look out for each other, especially our young girls 
. The grooming gang's use of manipulation and coercion to exploit these schoolgirls is a stark warning of the dangers we should all be aware of 
. I think it's reassuring to know that the police took significant steps to gather evidence, trusting the victims enough to gain their trust and ultimately bring these perpetrators to justice 
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. The impact on the survivors is immeasurable, and it's heartbreaking to think about what they endured during those eight weeks 
. It's heartening to see the bravery and dignity shown by the victims throughout this ordeal 
. The fact that only one of the perpetrators received an 18-month sentence due to his youth highlights the importance of addressing the root causes of grooming gangs, such as poverty, social isolation, and lack of opportunities 
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. I mean, can you even imagine being targeted with booze and coke as a 13-year-old? 
It's insane! The fact that the police went out of their way to gain the trust of the victims and gather evidence is just fantastic 
I just hope it brings some peace of mind to those survivors and their families 
. I mean, 14 years for rape? That's still way too short in my opinion. Imo, they should've gotten life. The fact that they were able to groom and abuse those poor girls for months is just disgusting. And its even worse when you consider the coke and booze they used to manipulate them 
This case is just so messed up 
. The fact that they used booze and coke to gain their trust is just despicable 
. 14-18 years in prison isn't going to bring back what these girls lost, but at least it shows that there are people who care about holding perpetrators accountable 
. And kudos to the victims for being so brave and strong throughout this whole ordeal 
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. Investigations can be long and hard, but it looks like they did their job well in this case 
. Now let's just hope that these survivors are getting the support and care they need after all this 
. The stats on this case are just mind-boggling - 5 men, all Romanian nationals, got sentenced for their heinous crimes 
. Can we make our schools better equipped to deal with this issue? Should there be more funding for counseling services? I don't have all the answers, but one thing's for sure - justice has been served in this case 
. The sentences might not be enough, but it's a start 
. And to be honest with myself and everyone else, if i knew about something like this going on in my own community, i'd be making a lot more noise 
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. But seriously, 14 years is nothing for someone like Bogdan, he should've gotten life 
. And what about the poor girls who got through this trauma? I can only imagine how hard it must be for them 
Can you even believe these dudes got caught? 14 yrs is a joke, like they're just gonna chill in their cells & forget about the trauma they caused those girls 
It's just heartbreaking.