Mum of girl, 16, raped by three Somali men tells how their 50 friends and relatives harassed her during trial

THE MUM of a teenage girl who was gang raped by three Somali men has revealed how she was harassed by more than 50 friends and family when they were jailed for a combined 29 years. 

A rape victim's mum has told of her horror after being intimidated by the rapists' family

Jane Smith (not her real name) claims she had to be smuggled into the back entrance of Manchester Crown Court "as if she was a criminal" to see the three men sentenced for raping her daughter, who was just 16 at the time.

Bilal Ahmed, Mowled Omar Yussaf and Muhyadeen Osman were jailed for nine, ten and ten years respectively

A herd of more than 50 family members and friends gathered at the court as Bilal Ahmed, Mowled Omar Yussaf and Muhyadeen Osman were jailed for nine, ten and ten years respectively.

'Jane': 'If this is what it does to us, then what would this be like for the victim of a rape case'

 All three men, of no fixed address and Somali heritage, were 18 at the time of the rape and lured the victim, now 19, to Victoria Park Hotel in Manchester on August 9 2013 under the pretence of a game of "hide and seek".

The victim's mum was intimidated by rapists' families

 Jane claims throughout the two-month trial, relatives of the three men who raped her daughter gathered in huge groups and deliberately intimidated her and her family. Many refused to move when they tried to get past in corridors, whispered abuse under their breath and stared at the victim's family in an attempt to intimidate them.

Around 50 family and friends gathered outside the court

Family members of the rapists even protested with banners outside the court on the day of sentencing and many mobbed prison vans as the men were driven away from court.

The victim's mum spoke out about her fear

Greater Manchester Police patrolling outside the court

Jane, 49, from Cheshire, said: "I was frightened throughout and my husband was frightened. There were so many of them and many of them would goad me when I walked past and deliberately try to intimidate us.

"It was scary. If this is what it does to us, then what would this be like for the victim of a rape case?