remove links  in whole article

Newport Man Denies Grooming Gang Charges in Cardiff Court

Key Points

• Mohammed Ramzan, 76, from Newport, entered not guilty pleas to all charges at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday, September 18, 2026.
• Ramzan is one of nine men facing charges related to historic child sex abuse from the 1980s and 1990s in south Wales.
• Ramzan pleaded not guilty to one charge of causing prostitution, two charges of rape, three charges of indecent assault, and one charge of aiding and abetting rape.
• His trial is set to start in January 2028, more than a year away, before Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, the Recorder of Cardiff.
• Ramzan was granted conditional bail after pleading not guilty to all charges.
• This is one of the cases that emerged from an investigation following claims made by women regarding sexual abuse that was committed on them as children in south Wales.
• On the same day, the Senedd dismissed calls for an inquiry into grooming gangs in Wales, as members discussed institutional response to child sexual exploitation.

Newport Crime (Wales Times) September 18, 2026 – A 76-year-old man from uk/local/newport/">Newport has entered not guilty pleas to multiple historical sex offence charges linked to an alleged grooming gang operating in south Wales. Mohammed Ramzan appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday, where he denied all allegations brought against him as part of a long-running investigation into child sexual abuse reported to have occurred in the 1980s and 1990s.

As reported by Eleanor Storey of the Press Association via Nation.Cymru, Ramzan is one of nine men charged in connection with the probe, which centres on accounts provided by women who say they were abused as children. The charges against Ramzan include one count of causing prostitution, two counts of rape, three counts of indecent assault, and one count of aiding and abetting rape. He entered not guilty pleas to each count.

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, the Recorder of Cardiff, set a trial date for January 2028, indicating the case will proceed more than a year from the plea hearing. Ramzan was released on conditional bail pending further proceedings.

What charges did Mohammed Ramzan deny in court?

Mohammed Ramzan denied a total of seven charges spanning several categories of historical sexual offences. According to court reporting by Eleanor Storey of the Press Association, as carried by Nation.Cymru, the specific counts are: one count of causing prostitution; two counts of rape; three counts of indecent assault; and one count of aiding and abetting rape.

All pleas were entered as not guilty at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday, September 18, 2026. The court recorded the pleas and moved to set a timetable for the case, with the trial now fixed for January 2028.

Who is Mohammed Ramzan and what is the wider investigation?

Mohammed Ramzan, aged 76 and from Newport, is one of nine men charged as part of an investigation into historical child sexual abuse in south Wales. The probe was launched following reports made by women who allege they were subjected to sexual abuse and rape as children during the 1980s and 1990s.

The wider context involves multiple defendants and a significant time span, with allegations dating back several decades. The investigation has led to a series of charges against nine individuals, of whom Ramzan is one. The case is being handled at Cardiff Crown Court, with judicial oversight from Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, the Recorder of Cardiff.

When will the trial take place and what are the next steps?

The trial for Mohammed Ramzan is scheduled to begin in January 2028, according to court listings reported by Eleanor Storey of the Press Association via Nation.Cymru. This places the start of substantive proceedings more than a year after the plea hearing on September 18, 2026.

Following the entry of not guilty pleas, the court released Ramzan on conditional bail. The lengthy interval before trial is consistent with the complexity often associated with historical abuse cases, which can involve extensive evidence gathering, disclosure processes, and coordination across multiple defendants.

How has the Senedd responded to grooming gang concerns in Wales?

On the same day as Ramzan’s plea hearing, the Senedd debated motions relating to grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation in Wales. As reported by Ella Groves, ICNN Senedd Reporter for Nation.Cymru, Reform’s Paul Marr opened the debate by referencing his daughter’s experience of sexual assault, emphasising the human impact behind policy discussions.

Marr told the Siambr:

“In debates like this, victims are often talked about as a category, a number and a strategy. She’s my child.”

He added that while his daughter’s attacker was not part of a grooming gang but a single offender now serving 14 years, the process had been prolonged and difficult for the family.

The debate considered multiple motions. Reform’s Llŷr Powell tabled a motion calling on the UK Government to ensure Wales is investigated as part of the grooming gangs inquiry. The Welsh Conservatives proposed an amendment calling for a Wales-wide grooming gang inquiry. Both the original Reform motion and the Conservative amendment were rejected by 47 votes to 37.

Instead, the Senedd agreed Plaid Cymru’s amended motion, which noted that Wales falls within the scope of the statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs. The vote on Plaid Cymru’s motion passed with 47 in favour, 29 abstentions, and eight against.

What did politicians say about institutional responses and victim support?

During the Senedd debate, multiple members addressed institutional failings and the need for clarity on how Welsh cases would be examined. Paul Marr highlighted findings from the February 2022 independent inquiry into child sexual abuse, which examined Swansea as one of six areas. He said the investigation found “neither the police nor the council accurately understood how many children were experiencing or were at risk of child sexual exploitation”.

Marr spoke to the shame often felt by victims, stating: “Abusers use shame to silence people. Fear and manipulation make asking for help impossible.” He urged members to consider the perspective of families waiting for action, asking: “If this were a child you love, what answers would be good enough?”

Darren Millar, Welsh Conservatives leader, described grooming gang activity as a “serious problem” in the UK and warned that Wales must not be a “footnote” in the inquiry. He drew a parallel with calls for a Wales-specific inquiry into the UK Covid response, urging the government to ensure a “proper spotlight” on Wales in the grooming gangs investigation.

Delyth Jewell, deputy minister for social care, mental health and women’s health, responded on behalf of the Welsh Government. She said all victims and survivors “deserve justice and help”, and that the government would “consider carefully” any findings and recommendations from the independent inquiry, acting with “utmost urgency” where necessary.

Jewell added that participation in the wider England and Wales inquiry offered an opportunity to “identify the trends and patterns of abuse that do not respect national borders”, while accepting the importance of ensuring Wales is “fully at the centre” of investigations. She pledged to reinforce this in meetings with Baroness Longfield, who is leading the inquiry.

Llŷr Powell, who tabled the Reform motion, called for cross-party consensus, saying:

“I know it’s not legally binding… but it’s a signal we can send, as a united Senedd, saying that victims across Wales will be and must be listened to.”

Background of the particular development

The charges against Mohammed Ramzan arise from a historical investigation into alleged child sexual abuse in south Wales during the 1980s and 1990s. The case forms part of a broader pattern of inquiries and prosecutions relating to grooming gangs and organised child sexual exploitation across the UK. In February 2022, the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse published an investigation that included Swansea as one of six examined areas, finding significant gaps in how police and local authorities understood the scale of child sexual exploitation.

The statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs, led by Baroness Longfield, is examining cases across England and Wales. During the September 16, 2026 Senedd debate, members discussed whether Wales should have a separate, Wales-specific inquiry or be fully integrated into the UK-wide process. The eventual Plaid Cymru motion, which passed, affirmed that Wales falls within the scope of the statutory inquiry while stressing the need for Welsh cases and institutional responses to be central to the investigation.

The timing of Ramzan’s plea hearing, on September 18, 2026, coincided with heightened political attention on the issue in Wales, as reflected in the Senedd debate and the rejection of motions calling for a separate Wales-specific inquiry. The court process for Ramzan and the other eight men is expected to unfold over the coming years, with his trial now set for January 2028.

Prediction: how this development can affect survivors, legal practitioners and local communities

This development is likely to have several effects on key audiences in Wales. For survivors of historical child sexual abuse, the continuation of high-profile cases and the Senedd’s focus on institutional responses may reinforce the importance of reporting and seeking support, while also renewing scrutiny of how police, councils and courts handle such allegations over long time spans. The scheduling of Ramzan’s trial for 2028 underlines the extended timelines involved, which can affect survivors’ expectations around justice and closure.

For legal practitioners and criminal justice agencies, the case adds to a complex body of historical abuse litigation that demands robust disclosure management, witness support and coordination across multiple defendants. The not guilty pleas and the January 2028 trial date indicate a protracted process that will require sustained resourcing and careful case management at Cardiff Crown Court.

For local communities in Newport and wider south Wales, the case and the parallel Senedd debate may intensify public discussion about safeguarding, the legacy of past failures, and confidence in current protective measures. Political statements from members such as Paul Marr, Darren Millar and Delyth Jewell signal continued pressure to ensure Wales is not marginalised in the national inquiry, which could shape future policy priorities around victim support, inter-agency working and preventative safeguarding strategies.