A former imam who carried out a sustained campaign of sexual abuse against women and girls over more than a decade has been jailed for life.
Abdul Halim Khan, 54, was sentenced to life imprisonment to serve a minimum term of 20 years at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday May 14.
He was convicted of 21 offences, including rape, sexual assault and child sexual offences, against seven women and girls between 2004 and 2015.
Melissa Garner, Specialist Prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “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. 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 appalling crimes to justice.”
Khan was an imam at a mosque in east London and used his position as a trusted religious leader within the community to gain access to his victims and manipulate them.
He arranged meetings in isolated locations, and even their own homes, where he sexually abused victims under the false pretence of being possessed or disguised as a jinn.
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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 feeling unable to come forward for years.
During the investigation, further victims were identified after the initial reports were made.
Prosecutors worked closely with the Metropolitan Police to build a case spanning more than a decade of offending.
Detective Chief Inspector Jennie Ronan, whose team led the investigation, said: “Abdul Khan presented himself as a respectable man who could be trusted. However, this was far from the truth, and he instead preyed upon and took advantage of others. Today, I want to focus on the victim-survivors, who have shown remarkable bravery in reporting Khan and great strength throughout the trial.
“We hope that today’s outcome provides as a measure of comfort as they continue to rebuild their lives and serves as a reminder to anyone who has experienced sexual violence that support is available. We remain absolutely committed to tackling violence against women and girls, targeting dangerous offenders and removing them from London’s streets.”
To support the jury’s understanding of complex evidence involving spiritual beliefs – including references to jinn and black magic, the CPS instructed a cultural expert to provide essential context central to the case.
According to a statement by the CPS, special measures were put in place to support the victims to give their best evidence, including pre-recorded cross-examination in advance of the trial.
The CPS has established a dedicated Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit to prosecute complex and challenging cases like this, sharing specialist understanding, helping to build strong cases and increase the number of successful prosecutions.
Shocking abuse
Warning: The following contains descriptions of sexual assault and rape, which some readers may find upsetting.
Speaking to the BBC, a victim of Khan’s abuse named Aria (not her real name), who was 13 years old when the assault took place, claimed he told her he was “healing” her.
A respected faith leader in East London, Khan would tell young girls and their parents they needed “curing” from “evil spirits.”
After attacking them, he warned the girls that if they told anyone about the abuse, the so-called cure would be undone, they would be cursed, or that harm would come to them and their families from black magic.
“I genuinely believed he had supernatural powers,” says Aria, which is not her real name.
She says Khan told her “something really bad would happen to me and my family” if she ever spoke about the abuse. And she wasn’t the only one.
Khan abused seven women and girls over 11 years in the same way. His youngest victim was just 12.
It was Aria’s mother who introduced her to Khan, after she began getting into trouble at school. She told her the imam would give her advice.
When they met, Khan told her to get into his car. “That’s when he touched me inappropriately,” says Aria.
“I had my eyes closed and he said there are going to be things that are knocking on the car window. And I did hear those knocks. But obviously I was 13 years old, I was terrified.”
He would convince them to meet in isolated locations – such as a flat or a car. There, he would rape or sexually abuse them while pretending to be a Jinn, a supernatural spirit.
Khan chose vehicles with tinted windows, gave one victim a phone so he could contact her, and encouraged another to climb out of her bedroom window to meet him.
The BBC spoke with another victim of Khan who had a similar harrowing story of abuse. Both said the attacks has had a lasting impact on them and urged victims of similar abuse not to remain silent.
