A London man has been found guilty of 21 offences, including nine counts of rape, over a horrifying 11-year period. Abdul Halim Khan, 54, of Old Forde Road, committed the offences between 2004 and 2015, during which time he abused his position as a respected faith leader within the local community to abuse multiple women and girls.

Khan pretended to have spiritual powers to coerce and sexually abuse girls as young as 12, manipulating the victims and threatening to harm their families. 

He was convicted at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Firday of 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, and one count of assault by penetration.

Police first became aware of Khan’s offending in February 2018 when his youngest victim reported him to a teacher at her school. As part of their investigation, officers interviewed over 50 witnesses and examined ten mobile phones.

Detective Sergeant Sara Yems, who led the investigation, said: "It shows remarkable strength for anyone to report abuse, especially when the abuser is believed to be a trusted figure.

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"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."