JAVAID AKHOND FROM GLASGOW SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEXUAL OFFENSES IN MAJOR POLICE OPERATION
In October 2014, a disturbing case emerged involving Javaid Akhond, a 20-year-old man who committed a series of heinous crimes targeting young girls in Glasgow.Akhond, who arrived in Scotland as a teenager seeking asylum from Afghanistan, initially found employment at a local fast food restaurant and gradually built a social circle within the city.
However, beneath this facade, he engaged in predatory behavior aimed at vulnerable minors.
His criminal activities came to light after a comprehensive investigation by Police Scotland, under the operation known as Operation Dash, which was established in 2013 to combat child sexual exploitation across the Strathclyde region.
Akhond was eventually apprehended and charged with multiple serious offenses, including the rape of a 12-year-old girl, sexual encounters with two other underage girls, grooming charges, and assault allegations.
His trial concluded last month, leading to a conviction on all counts.
One of the most harrowing aspects of the case involved a young girl, only 12 years old at the time, who was out ice skating with friends in Glasgow’s George Square when she was approached by Akhond.
She later testified that she believed he “loved” her, a sentiment that was tragically exploited.
Akhond’s initial claim was that she was 16, but it was quickly established that she was significantly younger, and the court found that her age made no difference to his intentions.
According to her testimony, Akhond repeatedly pressured her to visit his flat in the Shawlands area of Glasgow.
She recounted, “I went to the flat more than once – he made suggestions about what we should do.
He wanted us to spend time together in a different room.
I thought he loved me and wanted to talk about it.” The court heard that, with “sordid inevitability,” Akhond eventually engaged in sexual activity with her.
Following this, Akhond’s predatory behavior extended to her 13-year-old friend.
He attempted to impress her by buying clothes and taking her out for meals.
The young girl described her experience, saying, “I thought it was good at the time, but I feel he used me.
He wanted me to get closer to him and promised me all this stuff.” She was also invited to house parties where other young girls were present, and she eventually became another victim of his sexual advances.
In 2013, Akhond also engaged in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl.
The court found him guilty of multiple charges, including the rape of the 12-year-old girl, due to her age being under 13, as well as sexual encounters with the other two minors.
He was also convicted of two grooming offenses and two counts of assault.
On Thursday, Lord Turnbull sentenced Akhond to a total of six years in prison.
The judge emphasized the severity of Akhond’s actions, stating, “The evidence satisfied me that you actively sought out to target and groom young vulnerable girls who you knew to be much younger than you and who you expected to be impressionable.
The conduct you were convicted of constitutes serious sexual offending.” Police Scotland’s Operation Dash was launched with the cooperation of various agencies, including Barnardo’s Scotland, to identify and dismantle networks involved in child exploitation.
The case against Akhond is believed to be the first conviction resulting from this initiative, highlighting the ongoing efforts to protect minors from such predatory behavior.
Prosecutor Richard Goddard described Akhond’s conduct as a clear pattern of criminal behavior, stating, “Javaid Akhond was a man who set off on an easily recognizable course of criminal conduct towards females of a certain age bracket and had sex with them whether the law allowed or not.
In one girl’s words, ‘he wasn’t bothered.’” The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by young girls in urban environments like Glasgow and the importance of vigilant law enforcement in combating child sexual exploitation.
