BRADFORD MAN HASEEB RASHAD SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AFTER ONLINE CHAT WITH UNDERCOVER US POLICE
A man from Bradford, Haseeb Rashad, 23, was involved in a disturbing online case where he boasted about indecent images he had taken, unaware that he was communicating with an undercover US police officer.The US authorities reported his activity to the UK’s National Crime Agency, prompting a British undercover officer, operating under the alias SwimDad, to initiate contact with Rashad.
Following his arrest on March 20, 2020, Rashad was found to possess approximately 600 indecent images of children across his phone and computer.
At the time of the offences, he was just 19 and 20 years old.
Court evidence revealed that he had been groomed by an older man who encouraged him to produce his own indecent images.
This grooming led Rashad to record two indecent photographs of a young boy and send these via Snapchat to at least one other person.
Bradford Crown Court was told that Rashad suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and is highly compliant and suggestible, as detailed in a report presented during the trial.
Rashad pleaded guilty to nine charges: eight related to indecent images of children and one for possessing prohibited images.
The offences spanned from March 2019 to March 2020 and included taking two Category C indecent photographs of a young boy, distributing these images, and creating and sharing numerous other indecent images across Categories A, B, and C.
Recorder Benjamin Nolan QC sentenced Rashad to a total of 26 months in prison.
The sentence consisted of 18 months for two counts of Category A offences, nine months for two Category B offences, and six months for Category C offences, all to be served concurrently.
Additional to his prison term, Rashad was placed on the sex offenders register for ten years and subject to a sex harm prevention order for the same period.
His electronic devices, including his phone and computer, were also confiscated.
During sentencing, Recorder Nolan described the offences as "particularly vile involving very young children" and emphasized the seriousness of making and distributing child abuse images.
The prosecutor explained that Rashad initially engaged in online chats with an undercover officer in the US, using the Telegram messaging app under the username UKLad21, beginning in March 2020.
Rashad boasted about his collection of indecent images and shared links to others online, seeking acceptance and credibility.
His activities were eventually identified by US authorities and reported to the UK’s National Crime Agency.
The undercover officer, known as SwimDad, made contact with Rashad online, during which Rashad discussed intending to marry and have children to abuse, as well as traveling to Eastern Europe to abuse children there.
He also described how he gained victims’ trust through a game of truth or dare.
Rashad was arrested on March 20, 2020.
Initially, he denied having a sexual interest in children but claimed he had not actually viewed the images he shared, asserting he only clicked on them once before sharing.
He cooperated with police by providing his phone's unlocking code and allowing access to his online accounts.
Examination of his devices revealed most of the indecent images were stored on his phone, some in a secure folder labeled “my eyes only.” The court heard that Rashad had been groomed and manipulated by an older man who encouraged him to produce child abuse images.
It was noted that Rashad, suffering from PTSD and social anxiety, was a victim of grooming himself.
His legal representative stated that Rashad had attempted to delete the chat app but later reinstalled it, showing he has motivation and capacity to change.
