MAHDI MOHAMMED FROM PETERBOROUGH AND TROWBRIDGE: SHOCKING CHILD SEX OFFENDER CASE IN THE UK

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Peterborough and Trowbridge, Mahdi Mohammed, a man with a troubling history of sexual offences against minors, has been convicted and sentenced for a recent assault involving a young girl. The incident took place late last year on a crowded train, where Mohammed, aged 38, was found guilty of groping a 14-year-old girl during her journey home from school.

According to court proceedings, the young victim recounted how she boarded a train at Trowbridge station on the evening of November 10. She was traveling towards Bradford on Avon, and the carriage was packed with Bath Rugby supporters heading to an evening match. As she stood amidst the crowd, she suddenly became aware of someone touching her bottom. Initially, she thought the contact might have been accidental, but when it happened again, she realized it was deliberate. The girl described feeling frozen with fear as the offender, Mahdi Mohammed, gave her a sinister smirk while touching her.

She immediately contacted her mother in tears upon disembarking from the train, revealing what had happened. The police were promptly notified, and after reviewing CCTV footage from the journey, authorities were able to identify Mohammed as the suspect. An appeal for information was issued in January, which led to a breakthrough when a member of the public in Bristol recognized Mohammed as the wanted man. The police swiftly arrested him on a bus before he could reach his stop.

During police questioning, Mohammed admitted to being on the train but denied any sexual assault, claiming he had gone to Trowbridge to buy a computer for a friend. He insisted that his hands had remained in his front pockets throughout the journey and that he had not touched the girl. Despite his denial, the jury convicted him of sexual assault following a retrial at Swindon Crown Court.

It was also revealed that Mohammed has a long history of sexual offences involving young girls, with previous convictions dating back to his time living in Peterborough. In 2013, he was sentenced to 27 months in prison for a series of offences against 13-year-old girls he befriended at a local play park. He used mobile phone top-up vouchers and Facebook to gain their trust, then attempted to inappropriately touch them and even blamed the victims for 'making themselves available.'

Furthermore, eight years prior, Mohammed was issued an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) for making lewd comments to girls as young as ten. His criminal record also includes a 2005 incident where he pleaded guilty to using insulting language towards young girls in Peterborough. At that time, he was also refused asylum and was scheduled for deportation back to Iraq. However, despite the court's orders, Mohammed was granted leave to remain in the UK shortly after the 2005 hearing, a decision that has been heavily criticized by local MPs.

Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson expressed his outrage, stating, “This is a shocking case and is typical of the previous government’s lax and dangerous policy of unrestricted immigration. This man should have been removed from the UK in 2005, and the fact that he wasn’t is appalling. I will be writing to the Immigration Minister to ensure that he is permanently removed from our country after his prison sentence is served.”

In the latest case, Mohammed was also found to have engaged in grooming behaviour, meeting with two 13-year-old girls in a Peterborough park in 2010, giving them vouchers, and attempting to take them to his home. He also showed them pornographic channels and sent indecent Facebook messages, including a memory stick with images of children. The police investigation was triggered when a mother discovered one of these messages on her daughter’s computer.

During the trial, the court heard that Mohammed had sexually touched a 15-year-old girl in another park and possessed 19 indecent images of children on his computer. His defense argued that he came to the UK fleeing persecution from Saddam Hussein’s regime, and claimed that his inappropriate suggestions were rebuffed. However, the judge described his behaviour as ‘sophisticated offending,’ noting that the grooming spanned nearly two years, from August 2010 to mid-2012.

Mohammed pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including sexual activity with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to sexually touch a minor, and possessing indecent images. His previous convictions, including the 2005 incident involving lewd remarks to young girls, were also considered during sentencing.

Judge Madge sentenced Mohammed to a significant prison term, emphasizing the seriousness of his offences and the grooming nature of his conduct. The court also highlighted the failure of the immigration system to deport him earlier, which has been a point of concern for local authorities and politicians alike. Mohammed’s sentence includes a deportation order, and authorities have confirmed that he will be removed from the UK once his prison term concludes, fulfilling the demands for justice and public safety.