Highlights
- Abdul Halim Khan, 54, was sentenced to life imprisonment and must serve at least 20 years before parole consideration
- He was found guilty of 21 sexual offences, including rape and child sexual offences, against seven victims
- Police said he used his position as an imam in east London to manipulate and abuse women and girls
A FORMER imam who used his position as a religious leader in east London to rape and sexually abuse female worshippers has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Abdul Halim Khan pretended to have spiritual powers to coerce and abuse girls as young as 12, a Metropolitan Police investigation found.
The 54-year-old was convicted of 21 sexual offences, including rape, sexual assault and child sexual offences, against seven women and girls between 2004 and 2015.
At a hearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday (14), Justice Leslie Cuthbert sentenced Khan to life imprisonment and ordered that he serve a minimum of 20 years before being considered for a parole.
“Abdul Khan presented himself as a respectable man who could be trusted. However, this was far from the truth, and he instead preyed on and took advantage of others,” said Metropolitan Police detective chief inspector Jennie Ronan, who led the investigation.
'He targeted Bangladeshi Muslim community'
The court heard that Khan targeted women and girls from the Bangladeshi Muslim community in Tower Hamlets because of his standing in the area and the shame victims might feel about reporting sexual abuse.
He used his role as an imam at a local mosque to manipulate victims, arranging meetings in isolated places and at their homes. Prosecutors said he sexually abused them while claiming a jinn, or supernatural spirit possessed them.
“Abdul Halim Khan abused his position as a trusted religious leader to prey on women and girls over many years, manipulating and controlling them for his own sexual gratification,” said Melissa Garner, specialist prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
“He used their deeply held beliefs to instil fear and silence them, making them believe their families would be at risk if they ever spoke out.
“I hope this prosecution sends a clear message that the Crown Prosecution Service will work tirelessly to protect women and girls and bring anyone who commits these crimes to justice,” she said.
Victims were led to believe that harm would come to them or their families through so-called “black magic” if they reported the abuse, leaving them unable to come forward for years.
More victims came forward
During the Metropolitan Police investigation, more victims were identified after initial concerns were raised. The CPS said it worked closely with police to build a case covering more than a decade of offending.
To help the jury understand evidence involving spiritual beliefs, including references to jinn and black magic, the CPS instructed a cultural expert to provide context relevant to the case.
Special measures were also put in place to support victims giving evidence, including pre-recorded cross-examinations before the trial.
“After eight long years, I am relieved that justice has been served. But even with this outcome, the trauma does not simply disappear,” one survivor said in a statement released by the Metropolitan Police.
“The scars remain, and healing is a lifelong journey. Speaking out was terrifying, but it has also been a step towards reclaiming my strength.
“I hope that my coming forward encourages other survivors to know they are not alone, that they are never to blame, and that what happened to them truly matters,” she added.
Police said they first became aware of Khan’s crimes in February 2018, when the youngest victim reported him to a teacher at her school.
Investigators interviewed more than 50 witnesses and examined 10 mobile phones during the inquiry.
During police interviews, Khan denied the allegations and claimed the victims had made up the accusations as part of a conspiracy for revenge.
In February this year, a jury found him guilty of nine counts of rape, four counts of sexual assault, two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, five counts of rape of a child under 13 and one count of assault by penetration.
(PTI)
