Child exploitation ring accused denies trafficking girl, 15, to London

A man accused of being involved in a child sexual exploitation ring in Denbighshire has denied ever having sexual contact with two teenage girls or trafficking one of them to London.

Jaswinder Singh, 61, of River Street, Rhyl, was arrested after a concerned adult raised the alarm about the 15-year-old when she was in the city.

Singh said he took the girl, known as Child B, with him to look after his dog during a weekend trip to see family and a friend and that she was planning to meet one of her friends.

He said there was no plan for where the girl would stay but that she would meet one of her friends or stay alone in a flat belonging to one of his friends.

Singh is one of five people who deny claims around the alleged sexual exploitation of girls in Rhyl.

The trial at Caernarfon Crown court heard that in London, Singh and Child B met up with her friend and went to Singh's friend's house from where Child B and her friend went out while he remained at the address.

He said that Child B's phone was left at the property and, when it rang, it was Child B's friend who told him that Child B was 15 years old.

The defendant said the friend accused Singh and his friends of "having sex with Child B and things like that".

Defence counsel Duncan Bould asked Singh what his reaction was to the call, to which he said he was "angry".

He said he also made calls and sent texts to people who Child B's friend had accused of having done "sexual things" with Child B.

"I was trying to get the information from them. What's been going on?" he said.

Singh stayed with his friend overnight and said he spoke to another girl, known as Child C, the following morning when she rang Child B's phone.

The court previously heard Child B had introduced Singh to Child C.

"She told me that Child B was back in Wales. She said the police brought her back," he said.

He said he had no falling out with Child C in that phone call and he thought the police had simply taken Child B home.

"I asked if she was safe," said Singh, who was arrested later the same day in London.

"Did you every have any kind of sexual contact with Child B?" the defendant was asked.

"No," said Singh, who also answered "no" to the same question about Child C.

Singh denies being involved in conspiracy to traffic two girls and supplying them with cannabis.

Mustafa Iqbal, 43, Mohamed Usman Arshad, 36, and Ziaullah Badshah, 25, all from Rhyl, deny being involved in a conspiracy to traffic teenage girls and supplying drugs in payment for sexual services, as well as denying charges of rape with victims aged between 14 and 16 years old.

Sarah Gray, 53, from Gronant, Flintshire, denies perverting the course of justice, assisting an offender, and conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis.

The trial continues.