Former imam sentenced to life for sexual assaults
Key takeaways
- Abdul Halim Khan, 54, was described as having abused the trust and authority that came with his position to carry out attacks against seven victims from the local Muslim community between 2005 and 2014.
- In February, Khan was found guilty of 21 counts of rape, sexual assault and child sexual offences against victims at what were described as isolated places, including flats and hidden locations.
- Sentencing him, Judge Leslie Cuthbert described Khan's "deliberate distortion of the Muslim faith".
Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.
Aleem Maqbool,Religion editor, Snaresbrook Crown Court,and Harry Low,London Met Police Abdul Halim Khan was caught when the youngest victim reported Khan to a teacher at her school A "cunning" and "manipulative" former imam in east London has been given a life sentence with a minimum prison term of 20 years for a series of sexual attacks on women and girls as young as 12.
Abdul Halim Khan, 54, was described as having abused the trust and authority that came with his position to carry out attacks against seven victims from the local Muslim community between 2005 and 2014.
In February, Khan was found guilty of 21 counts of rape, sexual assault and child sexual offences against victims at what were described as isolated places, including flats and hidden locations.