Pakistani-British Man Sentenced To 13 Years In Jail For Raping And Slaving Deaf And Mute Girl

LONDON – An 84-year-oldman was sentenced Wednesdayto 13 years in prison for repeatedlyraping a deaf and mute girlhe trafficked into Britain andkept as a virtual slave.Ilyas Ashar – who brought thegirl into the U.K. from Pakistanin 2000 when she was about 10- was found guilty of rape by ajury last week.He was convicted at an earliertrial of trafficking and benefitsfraud charges in relation to thechild.The victim, who cannot beidentified for legal reasons, wasbeaten and kept in a cellar ofthe Ashar family home in theManchester area of northwestEngland.In sentencing, Judge PeterLakin said neither Ashar nor hiswife had expressed any remorseand failed to treat the girl as ahuman being.”To you she was merely anobject to be used, abused andcast aside at will,” he said.The girl – who could not read orwrite – was taught to write hername by Ashar and his family sothey could claim benefits.Ashar’s wife, Tallat, was jailedfor five years on trafficking andbenefits fraud charges.The couple had pleaded notguilty.Prosecutor Peter Cadwalladerpraised the victim’s courage and”extraordinary resilience” in testifyingin court.When she was rescued in apolice raid in 2009, the victimdid not know formal sign language.British prosecutors and policearranged specialist support sothat she could participate in thecourt proceedings, having anintermediary and a sign-languageexpert to help her communicatein court.Speaking through an interpreterand using sign language, the victimdescribed how she was hitwith a rolling pin while forcedto work for no money, made tosleep on a concrete floor in abolted cellar and sexuallyabused.