A ‘dangerous’ paedophile from Calderdale has failed to convince top judges that he was the victim of a miscarriage of justice.

Raja Yasin, 65, of no fixed abode, was caged for 21 years at Bradford Crown Court on April 29 last year.

Condemned as a public danger, he was also ordered to serve an extra three years on licence after his release.

Yasin was convicted of multiple sex crimes including rape, indecent assault and sexual assault, Mr Justice Lewis told London’s Appeal Court.

He was also found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Yasin’s crimes involved four young girls, two of whom were raped.

His barrister, Michael Wolkind QC, challenged the ‘safety’ of his convictions and asked for new evidence to be considered.

One of the victims in the case gave evidence through a recorded interview, the court heard.

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But when she was cross-examined in court she claimed that what she had said in that interview was a ‘lie’ and that Yasin had not assaulted or raped her.

When she left the witness box she told a care worker that she had in fact lied in court.

Police officers spoke to her and she was recalled to the witness box to give further evidence.

She told the court that she was ‘scared’ and had lied earlier when she said nothing had happened.

The Court of Appeal
The Court of Appeal

Challenging the convictions, Mr Wolkind argued that the Crown Court judge should not have allowed the victim to be recalled.

But Mr Justice Lewis said: “The judge had a discretion to recall the witness and he was entitled to exercise it as he did in the circumstances of this case.”

The QC also claimed that there was ‘new evidence’ relating to the credibility of the witness.

“We do not consider that this is new evidence,” said Mr Justice Lewis. “This issue was before the jury.”

Yasin had previous convictions for having sex with an underage girl in 1995, the court heard.

But Mr Wolkind claimed that his jail term was far too tough, pointing to his age and poor health.

“We consider the sentence was just, fair and proportionate,” ruled Mr Justice Lewis, who was sitting with Lord Justice Simon and Judge Mark Brown.

The appeal was dismissed.