Six Birmingham Men Banned From Approaching Girls

19 November 2014, 18:30 | Updated: 19 November 2014, 18:46

Six men from Birmingham have been given long term injunctions stopping them approaching girls they don't know.

The City Council brought the action after a 17-year-old was found in a hotel room with men she claimed were her friends.

Three of the men 27 year old Omar Ahmed, 31-year-old Mohammed Anjam and 40-year-old Sajid Hussain can be named after fears over their safety were dismissed.

Mr Justice Keehan made the ruling at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London after the Press Association news agency and  Times Newspapers argued that the public had right to know.

The judge had granted long-term injunctions against the two men earlier this week after social workers and police raised concerns about the welfare of a vulnerable 17-year-old girl who is in the care of Birmingham City Council.

He barred the men from approaching the girl until she turned 18, following a public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London.

The judge also barred them from approaching ''any female under 18'', with whom they were not personally associated, in public places.

Birmingham City Council had launched civil court proceedings against 10 men with the aim of protecting youngsters who may not understand what was happening to them, Mr Justice Keehan had been told.

Lorna Meyer QC, for Birmingham City Council, said West Midlands Police had supported the move.

She said the council and police had identified a ''number of individuals'' found to be ''inappropriately'' in the company of the 17-year-old girl.

Lawyers thought that there was not enough evidence to secure criminal convictions - on a beyond reasonable doubt basis - ''at the current time''.

But they thought that there was enough evidence to obtain civil court injunctions - on a balance of probabilities basis.

Miss Meyer said if long-term injunctions were made, and any of the men were found ''in the company of a vulnerable child'' by West Midlands Police or Birmingham City Council in breach or orders, then lawyers would ask a judge to impose jail terms for contempt of court.