Cumbrian takeaway boss wanted to 'buy' my daughter, 13, mum tells court

By Pam McClounie

Last updated at 09:47, Saturday, 28 April 2012

A woman told a court how a takeaway boss tried to “buy” her 13-year-old daughter and said if she gave him what he wanted he would give her “plenty of money”.

Azad Miah

The woman said she had been walking down Botchergate in Carlisle when Azad Miah texted her and asked who the “pretty blonde girl” with her was.

At Carlisle Crown Court yesterday, the woman said: “I texted back and said that’s my daughter. I wasn’t calm. He then asked me how old she was and if she had had a man yet.

“I said my daughter could not be bought and he texted back saying ‘give me what I want and I’ll give you plenty of money’.

Miah, 44, who ran the Spice of India takeaway is on trial accused of eight charges of inciting child prostitution, eight charges of paying for the sexual services of a child and one count of keeping a brothel. He has denied all of the charges.

Another woman told the court how she had had sex with Miah for money – sometimes in his car and sometimes in a room above the takeaway.

She said he had paid her £50 on the first occasion and then £25 thereafter. One night she had gone upstairs to a room where a group of men were playing cards. She had had sex with one man, who promised her £25, and then had become scared after two other men started to grope her.

“They started pulling my clothes off. I was already half naked and I felt uncomfortable. I could not get out of the building as it was locked and I had to dial 999,” she said.

She said another man eventually let her out.

The woman said Miah had asked her for some “fresh meat” meaning “young girls” and she had been “disgusted” by this.

Stephen Meadowcroft QC in cross examination asked the girl why she didn’t mention her terrifying ordeal at the hands of two other men when she dialled 999.

She said: “I didn’t want all this to come out and have to come to court.”

Mr Meadowcroft suggested the girl was making up the allegations to support others who are giving evidence.

She denied this.

Another girl said Miah had said he would buy her drugs in return for sexual favours.

The girl, who was 16 at the time, said she used cocaine “most nights” and said Miah used to ring and text her and ask if she wanted drugs. She said he had also asked her if she wanted a “threesome”.

She said she never did anything with him because she thought Miah was “minging”.

She said Miah told her that “age was just a number.”

In police interview she said: “He had a room upstairs in his shop where he made like....he kept girls and made videos and stuff like that. It was porn videos.”

Mr Meadowcroft said Miah did not know the girl giving evidence and had never met her.

The trial will continue next week.

First published at 09:00, Saturday, 28 April 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk