KAMRAN KHAN AND RAHEEM AHMED SENTENCED IN BOLTON AND OXFORD CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CASE

In a landmark case that has shaken the communities of Bolton and Oxford, two men have been convicted and sentenced for their involvement in a disturbing child sexual exploitation ring. The trial, which lasted five months and was one of the most extensive in Oxford Crown Court's history, culminated in the conviction of eight men who operated a grooming network on a 'massive' scale across the city of Oxford. The victims, five young girls aged as young as 13, were subjected to heinous abuse between the years 1998 and 2005. Due to legal restrictions, their identities cannot be disclosed.

Among those convicted are Kamran Khan, aged 36, residing on Northfield Road in Bolton, and Raheem Ahmed, aged 40, from Starwort Path in Oxford. Both men faced serious charges related to their roles in the abuse. Khan was found guilty of indecent assault and false imprisonment but was acquitted of a charge of rape. Conversely, Ahmed was convicted of two counts of indecent assault and one count of false imprisonment, with a charge of rape being dropped in his case.

The court proceedings revealed harrowing details of the abuse. During sentencing, Judge Peter Ross described a particularly disturbing incident where Khan and Ahmed imprisoned one of the victims at an address in Cowley. The judge recounted that the girl was subjected to a 'terrifying and protracted' attack involving sexual humiliation. The judge stated, “There was sexual humiliation, what would now be described as sexual assault. Her whole body was stripped and she had various substances thrown at her including into her face and rubbed into her skin. All the time the two of you were mocking and humiliating her. She tried to escape, she thought she was going to die.”

The court also heard that Khan attempted to coerce another girl, aged 13 or 14 at the time, into performing oral sex. The victim managed to resist after threatening to bite him if he persisted. In another incident, Ahmed forced a 14-year-old girl into a sexual act before abandoning her by the roadside. Several victims provided personal statements to the court, revealing that they suffered from anxiety and depression as a direct result of the abuse they endured.

Regarding their sentences, Judge Ross emphasized that while Khan and Ahmed committed serious offenses, their roles in the grooming operation were comparatively lesser than those of the other six men convicted in the trial. The judge noted, “You were both convicted of serious offences following a lengthy trial which has been characterised as ultimately a grooming case. I am prepared to sentence you two defendants separately from the other defendants on the basis that at worst you were on the periphery of this group.” He further clarified, “It cannot be said that you were party to targeted grooming of some of the young women who gave evidence in this case.”

As a result, Khan was sentenced to a total of eight years in prison—three years for indecent assault and five years for false imprisonment, to be served consecutively. Ahmed received a longer sentence of twelve years—five years for false imprisonment, two years for one indecent assault, and five years for another, all to be served consecutively. Both men are also mandated to register as sex offenders and will be subject to lifelong sexual harm prevention orders, underscoring the severity of their crimes and the ongoing risk they pose to the community.