A Keighley man has been jailed for 16 years and six months after being found guilty of historic sex offences dating back to the 1990s. Abdul Aziz Razzaque, 48, of Victoria Road, appeared before Bradford Crown Court by video link from HMP Leeds and was sentenced after a trial last August.
The court heard that Razzaque was judged to be a dangerous offender. Prosecutor Gerald Hendron said the offending involved multiple complainants and covered a long period, with victims describing severe and lasting trauma in their personal statements.
Several victim impact statements were read to the court, in which survivors spoke of rage, anger, pain, shame, guilt, worthlessness and suicide attempts. One said: “My life has literally been hell.” Another said: “The impact of this has followed me every day.”
Her Honour Judge Kirstie Watson, taking rape as the lead offence, imposed the sentence and added a 12-month extension on licence. She said Razzaque continued to deny the offences and found him to be a dangerous offender. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life and made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order in relation to children.
Razzaque did not react as he was sentenced. From the public gallery, one of his victims shouted “Thank you” to the judge.
The case also involved Razzaque’s brother, Abdul Haziz Razzaque, 47, of Spencer Street, Keighley, who was convicted of separate sex offences at the same trial despite being found unfit. He will be sentenced at a later date.