Nazir Ahmed, the 64-year-old former Labour peer, has been found guilty of attempting to rape a young girl and sexually assaulting a boy under 11 in the early 1970s.
A woman told Sheffield Crown Court that Ahmed, formerly Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, attacked her when he was 16 or 17 but she was much younger.
He also assaulted a boy during the same period, and was found guilty of two counts of attempted rape and one of buggery.
Ahmed was charged along with his two older brothers, Mohammed Farouq, 71, and Mohammed Tariq, 65, but both were deemed unfit to stand trial.
Farouq and Tariq faced charges of indecent assault in relation to the same boy Ahmed abused, and the jury found they did indeed commit those acts alleged.
“By these verdicts the jury has clearly decided that no matter the delay between the offences and the trial, and the defences raised, they could be sure that the accounts of the victims were credible and true,” said Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS’s special crime division.
“One of these defendants held a position of power, influence and responsibility for some time in the House of Lords but this case clearly illustrates that where there is sufficient evidence, even in challenging cases, the CPS will bring a prosecution, put evidence before a jury and see rightful convictions.”
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Police initially received reports of the offences in 2016, when the now-adult victims came forward and disclosed abuse they had suffered when they were children, aged between four and 11 years old.
Nazir attempted to rape his first victim, who was a young girl at the time of the abuse, twice at an address in Rotherham. At the same address, he also indecently assaulted his second victim, a boy.
Detective Constable Jo Smithson, investigating, said: “This has been a lengthy and complex investigation and trial, and I would like to thank both victims for their patience and support throughout.
“Abuse of this nature stays with victims for a lifetime and every victim has a right to be heard. I am pleased we were able to present our case to a jury and that justice has been done today.
“My only hope is that this now offers some level of closure for both victims. It must have been an incredibly difficult and brave decision to come forward and speak out after so many years, and I hope it offers assurance to other victims that we do listen and we will do everything we can in our pursuit of offenders.”
Ahmed will return to court on February 4 to be sentenced.
