IMAM WHO FLED UK AFTER SEX ATTACK CONVICTIONS ON TWO GIRLS JAILED FOR 11½ YEARS IN HIS ABSENCE
A religious leader who fled Britain after being convicted of repeatedly sexually assaulting two young girls at a Dudley mosque has been jailed for 11-and-a-half years in his absence.
Hafiz Rahman left the UK for Bangladesh after being allowed to remain on bail during his trial, with prosecutors saying “strenuous” efforts would now be made to bring him back to Britain.
The 58-year-old was convicted of five specimen counts of indecent assault involving two girls who were both under the age of 10 when the offending took place.
The victims had attended Queens Cross Mosque for religious studies, where Rahman had been entrusted with teaching them about the Koran.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that Rahman was regarded as a highly respected figure within the Muslim community and had been described as being “treated like royalty”.
But Judge Nicholas Cartwright said Rahman had subjected the children to repeated and deliberate sexual offending over several years.
The judge described his actions as a “gross breach of trust” and said the planned offending had “blighted” the lives of both victims, leaving them with significant psychological difficulties.
Rahman, a father of seven and grandfather of ten, had previously lived in Ballard Road, Netherton.
During the closing stages of his trial, Rahman told the court he was too ill to attend while the jury considered its verdicts.
However, he had already booked a flight to Bangladesh and left Britain just hours after the six-man, six-woman jury found him guilty.
The court heard Rahman had surrendered his UK passport to his solicitors as part of his bail conditions but used a second passport to leave the country.
Prosecutor Peter Arnold told the court authorities had believed Rahman would return for sentencing because of the length of time he had lived in Britain and his standing within the community.
Mr Arnold said: “We will be making strenuous efforts to bring him back to this country.”
Rahman had previously been permitted to travel to Bangladesh on a personal matter before returning to the UK.
Sentencing him in his absence, Judge Cartwright also ordered Rahman to remain on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
Defence barrister Tariq Shakoor said there had been nothing beforehand to suggest Rahman intended to abscond.
He told the court Rahman had carried out good work within the Muslim community over the years and had played a positive role in the lives of others.
However, he accepted that Rahman had brought shame upon himself, the mosque, his community and his family through his offending against the two girls.
The judge said Rahman had deceived the children's parents as well as numerous people who had submitted character references supporting him.
He said Rahman's decision to flee showed he had no intention of returning voluntarily and said he had demonstrated no remorse for his crimes.
Following the sentencing, one of Rahman's victims welcomed the prison term.
She said the case had been a “terrible ordeal” and expressed hope that Rahman would eventually be arrested, returned to the UK and made to serve his sentence.
Rahman remains outside the United Kingdom following his departure for Bangladesh.
Let me tell you just how incredibly brave these children are.
Thirty years ago, many of them would never have been able to come forward. They would have been silenced, pressured into keeping quiet, and made to feel that speaking out wasn’t an option.
The “community” would never have allowed it.
I know this because I personally knew a child who lived through it. I saw, firsthand, what that silence meant.
So when these children find the courage to speak today, please understand what that takes. Their voices matter, and they deserve to be heard.
Photo credit Predator awareness