A 64-year-old man is on trial at Bradford Crown Court accused of raping a 13-year-old schoolgirl and offering her mother £15,000 to leave the country.
Prosecutor Sharon Beattie told the Court that “Tariq Syed violated the screaming child after locking her in his car in a wooded area. When the police were alerted, he tried to bribe and intimidate her family into returning to Romania”
Syed, of Pemberton Drive, Little Horton, Bradford, pleads not guilty to rape, an alternative charge of sexual activity with a child, perverting the course of justice and causing the girl’s mother actual bodily harm by attacking her with a knife.
Miss Beattie told the jury that Syed’s semen was found on the inside of the girl’s school trousers after the alleged rape was reported to the police.
Syed befriended the girl’s family and gave her two phones, clothes and a computer tablet. Her mother became suspicious but Syed told her he wanted to help as the family were not well off. In September 2014, she discovered that her daughter had been missing from school twice in a week. The police were informed when the girl revealed that Syed had forced her to have sex with him. The 13-year-old girl told police he drove her to wooded area, locked the car doors and raped her.
From 27 October, new housing safety rules known as Awaab’s Law come into force — compelling social landlords to fix emergency hazards within 24 hours and protect millions of tenants from dangerous conditions like black mould.
Bradford Council is expanding its successful Housing First programme — inspired by New York and proven in Finland — to offer ten more places, helping more people with complex needs move from homelessness into stable, supported housing.
A major new exhibition, The Last Princesses of Punjab, will open at Kensington Palace on 26 March 2026 to celebrate the 150th birthday of Princess Sophia Duleep Singh — the trailblazing Punjabi royal and suffragette — exploring the lives of the remarkable women who shaped her story.
A celebration of creativity and belonging, The Leap’s SENDIVERSE Festival brought together over 1,700 people across Bradford for a series of inclusive arts and cultural events designed with and for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
Bradford Royal Infirmary has renamed the Listening for Life Centre after pioneering ear surgeon Professor Chris Raine MBE, who has restored hearing for hundreds across the North of England.
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust nurse Chloe Taylor has been named a finalist for Neonatal Nurse of the Year, recognising her work supporting families through trauma-informed care.
Following strong opposition to proposed parking changes in Ilkley, Bradford Council has put forward a revised plan that keeps a free one-hour option in parts of the town.
West Yorkshire Police and Wakefield Council are intensifying efforts to crack down on crime and anti-social behaviour through a joint taskforce and new enforcement measures.
Every Saturday evening we turn to remixes of hit songs to get you in the Saturday night party mood! Every Saturday between 5pm - 8pm
Bhangra Nights
Get over the Weekday blues - Every Tuesday night is party night with the best Bhangra and Urban Asian Beats. The Bhangra Show every Tuesday between 8pm-11pm
The Golden Era
The golden era of Bollywood celebrated in this weekly show full of classics taking you back in time. Every Sunday between 5pm - 7pm
Alim OnAir
Have you a question about the religious, cultural or tradition aspect of Islam? Then join Hazrat Maulana Fazal Dad in the weekly show every Friday between 8-9pm.