A barber from Bradford was jailed last week for attempting to rape a schoolboy at a hair salon.
Arshad Mahmood, 33, from the Great Horton area of Bradford, was jailed for eight years last Thursday after he was found guilty of trying to rape a 14-year-old boy who went for a haircut at the salon he was working in.
Khaled Malik, a customer of Mr Mahmood’s who knew the victim, told 5 Pillarz: “This news came as a shock to the people of Great Horton. Loads of young boys used to go to that salon, now everyone is questioning whether their sons, nephews and brothers were safe when they went there.”
Bradford Crown Court heard how Mr Mahmood led the young boy into a cellar at the barber’s shop, where he sexually abused him. It was described to the jury how the teenager was “white with shock” when he got home following the incident.
Judge Peter Benson told Mr Mahmood it had been a “significant breach of trust”. He said: “Parents are entitled to expect that when they send their children to have their hair cut, they are not subjected to sexual abuse. You were determined to have your way with this young man.”
Mr Mahmood who resides at Arncliffe Terrace, Great Horton, was found guilty by a jury after a three-day trial of two offences of sexually assaulting the boy and two of attempted rape. He pleaded guilty to the charge of engaging in sexual activity in front of a child.
Shahid Latif who knew Mr Arshad and the family of the victim told 5 Pillarz: “This was a disgraceful act committed on a young boy and no doubt he will be scarred for life. This was a clear case of how someone was unable to suppress their sexual desires and the eight-year sentence with possibility of deportation should teach Mahmood a lesson.”
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The court heard how Mr Mahmood was working at the barber’s shop, and was sexually attracted to the school pupil when he noticed the boy outside the salon.
When the teenager went in the shop for a haircut, Mr Mahmood tried to groom him by offering him money, and then asked him to help get some towels from the cellar.
Judge Benson told Mr Arshad: “You admitted that was a device to get him in an area where you could have sexual contact with him. You intended to engage in sexual activity with him, at the very least regardless as to whether he consented or not.”
While they were in the cellar Mr Arshad kissed the victim and pulled down his clothing but the victim tried to get away but was pulled back.
The judge stated that he accepted no physical violence or intimidation was used by Mr Arshad but he said it was a serious matter because of the number of offences, the frequency of the offending and the abuse of trust.
Mr Mahmood was made subject of an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order which stops him from having contact with under-16s, and was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.
His barrister, Abdul Iqbal, said it was inevitable his client would be deported after serving his sentence.
Richard Dove who is the Acting Detective Sergeant of Bradford District Safeguarding said after the case: “The victim in this case suffered a particularly distressing and traumatic ordeal and we welcome the strong sentence given to Mahmood.”
