BRADFORD AND LEYTON OFFENDER AKIF ASKAR SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS ON TEENAGE GIRLS

In a case that has shocked the local communities of Bradford and Leyton, a 20-year-old man named Akif Askar was found guilty of indecently assaulting two teenage girls. The incidents took place over a span of a few months, with the court hearing that Askar approached the victims in public spaces, displaying a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior.

According to court proceedings at Bradford Crown Court, Askar targeted two 15-year-old girls, one in Bradford’s Lidget Green area and the other in Leyton, London. The first assault occurred between December of the previous year and January, when Askar approached a girl walking from her school to a mosque in Bradford. Prosecutor Emma Downing detailed that Askar said “Excuse me” before indecently assaulting her. The girl was reportedly left angry and upset by the encounter.

Askar’s actions did not stop there. On January 8, he approached the same girl again and committed another indecent assault. Later, on January 29, he targeted a second girl in Leyton, London, engaging in similar criminal behavior. The court heard that both victims were visibly distressed and upset by their experiences.

Despite having no prior convictions, Askar was arrested on February 1. During police questioning, he admitted to committing one of the sexual assaults. It was also revealed that earlier this month, he received a caution for failing to sign the sex offenders’ register, following a guilty plea to all three offences during a previous court hearing.

His legal representative, Phillip Ainge, acknowledged that Askar now recognizes that his approach to contacting girls was inappropriate and unacceptable. At the time of the offences, Askar was residing in Bradford, but he has since moved to Leyton, London, to stay with relatives, Mr Ainge confirmed.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC delivered the sentence, which included a two-year community order with supervision and 150 hours of unpaid work. The judge emphasized the importance of societal standards, stating, “You have to learn that this society will not tolerate this sort of bad behaviour,” underscoring the seriousness of Askar’s actions and the need for rehabilitation and accountability.