OLDHAM MEN SHOFIQUL ISLAM AND SHAMIM AHMED JAILED FOR CHILD ABDUCTION IN CHADDERTON

In August 2008, two men from Oldham, Shofiqul Islam and Shamim Ahmed, were sentenced to 18 months in prison each after being convicted of child abduction. The incident took place in the early hours of the morning, specifically at around 1:40 am, in a secluded parking area in Chadderton, a town within the Oldham borough. Both men, aged 21 at the time, were caught red-handed engaging in a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old girl in their vehicle.

The young girl had been reported missing from her home the previous evening. Witnesses had seen her in the street and, subsequently, she agreed to enter the car driven by the two men. Her decision to get into the vehicle was made in a vulnerable state, and her age made her particularly susceptible to exploitation. The police, involved in the investigation known as Operation Messenger, responded swiftly to the incident, aiming to combat the troubling trend of adult men preying on underage girls in the Oldham area.

Further inquiries revealed that the girl, described as “out of control but vulnerable,” had previously been involved in another unrelated incident. In that earlier case, she had jumped into a waiting car while being pursued by social workers from her children’s home. This history underscored her vulnerability and the ongoing risks she faced.

Islam, who worked as a Tesco shelf stacker and resided on Raven Avenue in Chadderton, and Ahmed, a bus driver living on Broom Street in Oldham, both denied any sexual intent during the trial. However, the court found them guilty of taking a child without parental consent after a thorough trial at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester. The verdict was met with audible gasps from the public gallery, reflecting the gravity of the case.

Judge Roger Thomas QC addressed the court, emphasizing the seriousness of the offense. He stated, “I have to pass a sentence to reflect the concern about this situation. I have to send a message out to others who may think about offending in this way, not to do so. You picked up a girl when she was then 14 and you 21, and you took her to a secluded part of a car park. Police found you there before too long. They knew this girl and were able to retrieve her. Girls of her age, however out of control or however willing they may be to join you in your car in the late hours or early morning, have to be protected by the law.”

The incident was reported to have occurred in June of the previous year. During police interviews, both Islam and Ahmed claimed they believed the girl was 18 years old. Ahmed admitted to asking her about her school, but later explained he was trying to find out which school she used to attend, not her current one.

It was also revealed that the girl had previously been involved in another incident where she jumped into a waiting car while being chased by social workers from her children’s home. Both Islam and Ahmed had been previously sentenced to 12 months in jail at an earlier hearing for their involvement in the incident.

Defense counsel Miss Charlotte Holland argued in mitigation that there was no sexual activity between her clients and the girl. She emphasized that both men were close to their families and did not pose a threat beyond the initial incident. Nonetheless, the court upheld the seriousness of the offense.

Following the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Jason Byrne from Oldham’s Messenger Team issued a statement condemning the actions of Islam and Ahmed. He expressed disbelief that the men genuinely thought the girl was 18, stating, “The idea that these men believed this 14-year-old girl was 18 seems unbelievable. It is an offense for an adult to take a child without consent from a parent or guardian, and we will pursue a prosecution against anyone who does this. I hope this prosecution will act as a warning to any men who think it is acceptable to take children like this. This behavior will not be tolerated, and we will take all possible action to make sure the people responsible are brought to justice.”