BILAL AHMED JAILLED AFTER GROOMING AND ASSAULT IN LEEDS
A man from Leeds has been sentenced to two years in prison after his attempt to groom what he believed to be a 13-year-old girl was exposed as part of an undercover operation.The incident took place in Leeds, and the man’s actions were uncovered through a vigilant group known as Predator Exposure, which works to reveal sex offenders who target children through online platforms.
Predator Exposure employs tactics such as creating fake social media profiles that mimic minors in order to lure potential offenders.
These profiles are used to engage in conversations with individuals suspected of seeking to exploit children, with the goal of identifying and publicizing offenders.
In this case, a profile under the name Melanie, portraying a 13-year-old girl, was uploaded by a member of the group.
The man, identified as Bilal Ahmed, 25 years old, first contacted this profile on Facebook on March 22, 2020, initiating a series of conversations that increasingly took on an explicit nature.
According to prosecutor Bashir Ahmed, during the proceedings at Leeds Crown Court on June 7, it was revealed that Bilal Ahmed’s communications with the decoy involved sexually explicit content on several occasions.
The chats also evidenced grooming behaviour, with Ahmed expressing a desire to meet the girl in person.
He reportedly asked her questions such as, “Would you let me hold your neck and kiss your lips slowly?” This demonstrated a disturbing intent to establish a physical meeting, underscoring the severity of his actions.
The conversation came to an end when Ahmed decided to block the profile, claiming he was not receiving the answers he sought.
Authorities seized his mobile phone as part of the investigation, which further revealed the details of the online exchanges.
In February 2021, police apprehended Ahmed and questioned him about the chats.
He chose to answer with a refusal to comment but was subsequently released while investigations continued.
In addition to the grooming case, Ahmed was involved in a separate incident in December 2021.
Police reports state that he went to the workplace of a woman who had previously issued a warning about his harassment.
On December 21, Ahmed appeared at her place of employment, and after her shift ended, he was observed lurking nearby.
The woman, concerned for her safety, asked a colleague to escort her as they left.
Despite her refusal, Ahmed persisted in trying to speak with her and attempted to snatch her handbag.
The court was told that he refused to leave and was clearly aggressive.
CCTV footage showed Ahmed pushing the woman and punching a man who tried to intervene, resulting in injuries to the man’s face.
He refused to depart until the police arrived.
This violent behaviour led to additional charges, including affray and assault.
During court proceedings, Ahmed, of Norwood Terrace in Leeds, pleaded guilty to one count of affray, one count of attempting to communicate sexually with a child, and other related offences.
His counsel, Khadim Al Hassan, highlighted Ahmed’s long-standing psychological issues, noting that he had been bullied at school and had been using cannabis and alcohol since he was about 11 or 12 years old.
The defence also mentioned that Ahmed suffers from depression and anxiety, suggesting that these factors contributed to his behaviour.
Judge Tom Bayliss QC sentenced Bilal Ahmed to a two-year prison term, emphasizing the gravity of his actions.
The judge noted that Ahmed’s grooming efforts showed premeditation and planning, which warranted an immediate custodial sentence.
Furthermore, Ahmed was placed under a sexual harm prevention order for ten years and required to register as a sex offender for the same period.
A restraining order was also issued to prevent contact with the female victim involved in the affray.
