A 26-year-old man from Bradford has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to a series of offenses, including rape, sexual assault, and the production of indecent images of a child.
Abdullah Mhana of Hirst Lodge Court, Bradford, admitted to 17 offences at Bradford Crown Court on Monday (8).
The charges included five counts of rape, seven charges of making indecent images, one count of sexual assault of a child, one offense of causing a child to watch a sexual act, one charge of assault by penetration, and one count of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.
The court heard that a staggering 14,000 indecent images were discovered on Mhana’s electronic devices.
He has also has been mandated to sign the sex offenders register and was issued with a sexual harm prevention order, aimed at safeguarding potential future victims from his predatory behaviour.
According to West Yorkshire Police, Mhana’s tactics involved initiating relationships with his victims via social media platforms, subsequently arranging meetings with them in parks and within his vehicle.
One particularly disturbing aspect of his crimes was his manipulation of a vulnerable 11-year-old girl, with whom he initiated a relationship by deceitfully claiming to be 17 years old, despite being 23 years old at the time.
Detective Inspector Charlotte Bolton of Bradford district’s children vulnerable to exploitation team said, “Mhana is a dangerous sexual predator who deserves to be behind bars for a very long time. He groomed vulnerable young children, deceived them into thinking he was a young boy and then took advantage of them.
“He would use social media apps to groom his victims over a three year period, making them perform sexual acts that they didn’t consent to. These victims have been through a horrendous ordeal that no child should ever have to go through. Specially trained officers continue to support them as they look to rebuild their lives.
Bolton added, “Throughout this investigation, we have recovered images from Mhana’s phone in which we believe there are unidentified victims. I would encourage anyone who knew Mhana or who has been in contact with him to come forward. We will treat any information given sensitively and confidentially.”
