Abdul Halim Khan. Pic: Met Police.
A former imam has been convicted of numerous non-consensual sexual attacks on women and girls in East London.
Abdul Halim Khan, 54, was found guilty yesterday of 21 counts of rape and sexual assault as well as child sexual offences against seven women and girls at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
He was found guilty of the following offences:
Nine counts of rape
Four counts of sexual assault
Two counts of sexual assault of a child under thirteen
Five counts of rape of a child under thirteen
One count of assault by penetration
The offences took place over an 11-year period between 2004 and 2015, where Khan abused his position as a respected faith leader within the local community to abuse multiple women and girls.
Khan was an imam at a mosque in east London and used his position of trust and authority to get to know the seven victims, three of whom were young teenage girls at the time of offending.
All seven were members of the local Muslim community and Khan persuaded each of them into meeting him at isolated places including flats and quiet hidden locations, to prevent harm falling on them according to him.
Khan would then rape or sexually abuse the victims under the premise he would be possessed or disguised as a Jinn. The victims felt they had to keep these acts hidden and quiet from families and friends for fear of doing them harm via Black Magic.
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Police first became aware of Khan’s offending in February 2018 when the youngest victim reported Khan to a teacher at her school.
Following the allegations, Met detectives began to build a case against Khan.
As part of their investigation, officers interviewed over 50 witnesses and examined ten mobile phone devices.
In his interviews Khan repeatedly denied the allegations stating it was a conspiracy, and the victims had concocted a story for revenge.
He has been remanded into custody ahead of sentencing at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday, May 14.
Abuse victim speaks out
Following the verdict, one of the survivors of Khan’s abuse thanked the Met’s investigation team for restoring their trust. She said: “The abuse I suffered as a child has had a profound and lasting impact on my life. What happened to me did not end when the abuse stopped, it affected my sense of safety, my ability to trust others, and the way I understood relationships and authority.
“Someone who should never have harmed me violated that trust, and the effects of that betrayal have stayed with me for many years and I continue to carry that trauma with me.
“Like many survivors of childhood sexual abuse, I lived with shame, fear, and confusion that were not mine to carry. The loss of trust, in people, in systems, and at times in myself, shaped much of my adult life.
“Coming forward was an extremely difficult decision. Speaking about what happened meant revisiting painful memories and facing emotions I had tried to suppress for years. However, being listened to, believed, and treated with dignity throughout the investigation helped restore some of the trust that had been taken from me. I am grateful to the Metropolitan Police officers who handled my case with care, professionalism, and sensitivity.
“I hope this outcome acknowledges not only the abuse itself, but the deep and lasting harm it causes. I also hope it encourages other survivors of childhood sexual abuse to know that they are not alone, they are not to blame, and that what happened to them matter, regardless of how much time has passed.”
Pic: Shutterstock.
Detective Sergeant Sara Yems, who led this investigation, said: “It shows remarkable strength for anyone to report abuse, especially when the abuser is believed to be a trusted figure. The seven woman who came forward have shown extraordinary courage in speaking with police and I hope they serve as inspiration to other victims and survivors.
“While nothing will undo the harm suffered by these women – yesterday’s conviction will hopefully offer a small measure of comfort. I’d like to thank the dedicated team of Met officers who left no stone unturned in their pursuit of justice.
“We remain absolutely committed to tackling violence against women and girls, targeting dangerous offenders and removing them from London’s streets.”
Melissa Garner, Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Abdul Halim Khan a former imam abused his position of trust and authority to carry out a vicious series of rapes and sexual abuses against seven victims including three vulnerable teenage girls.
“Khan coerced and deceived them into thinking that he possessed supernatural powers which could protect them and their families from harm in exchange for hideous acts of sexual abuse without their consent.
“The lifelong physical and emotional trauma caused to victims by men like Khan cannot be understated.
“We would like to thank the victims in this case for coming forward and reporting this devastating crime. I hope this conviction sends a clear message that the CPS will relentlessly pursue justice and prosecute those who sexually exploit women and children, whenever that abuse took place.
“I encourage any victims of child sexual abuse and sexual violence to report the crimes committed against them to the police. You are not alone and there is always help available.”
For the moment, the police have not released an image of Khan or identified the mosque he used to work at.
Often in sensitive criminal cases — especially where victims include minors — authorities do not release images of the defendant until later in proceedings or sentencing, and sometimes not at all.
Anyone with information or wishing to report offences relating to Khan can call 101 quoting Op Sparebank, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
