Five men have been convicted for their involvement in a grooming gang that sexually assaulted and raped girls they targeted in a park. The victims, including a 14-year-old girl, were coerced into drug addiction and subsequently forced into sexual activities by the perpetrators. The crimes took place in Gateshead between 2015 and 2019, with the group preying on vulnerable girls at Saltwell Park. Four Romanian men and one Albanian man were found guilty of multiple offenses, while a sixth man was acquitted. The convicted individuals, including Codrin Dura, Leonard Paun, Bogdan Gugiuman, Klaudio Aleksiu, and Stefan Ciuraru, were remanded in custody for sentencing at a later date.
Dura, 27, was convicted of multiple charges, including rape, sexual activity with a child, attempted rape, blackmail, and sexual assault against one of the victims, referred to as Girl A. He was also found guilty of raping another girl, Girl B, along with additional offenses related to child sex offenses and drug supply. Paun, 23, was found guilty of sexual activity with a child and one count of rape concerning Girl B, in addition to charges related to child sex offenses, distributing indecent images, and drug supply.
Gugiuman, 44, was convicted of multiple rape counts against Girl B and drug supply, while Aleksiu, 28, was found guilty of rape and drug supply offenses. Ciuraru, 22, was convicted of sexual assault, sexual activity with a child, and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity against various victims.
After more than three days of deliberation, the jurors delivered their verdicts, prompting Judge Tim Gittins to acknowledge their dedication and warn the convicted individuals of the likelihood of a prison sentence. Authorities emphasized the lifelong anonymity granted to sexual offense victims and urged against their identification. Detective Chief Inspector Graeme Barr of Northumbria Police commended the victims for their bravery and resilience, condemning the perpetrators for their heinous crimes.
Charlotte Dennison, head of the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) Unit at CPS North East, highlighted the exploitation of victims through drug and alcohol manipulation, expressing hope that the convictions would provide some solace to the survivors and contribute to holding the abusers accountable.
