UMAR FAROOQ SENTENCED TO 16 YEARS FOR RAPE AND BLACKMAIL IN NELSON AND NORTH YORKSHIRE

Umar Farooq, a 21-year-old man from Nelson, has been handed a substantial prison sentence totaling 16 years after being convicted of multiple serious crimes, including rape, blackmail, and harassment. The offences were committed against a young woman, with the incidents taking place in June of the previous year, and involved the non-consensual taking of intimate photographs during a meeting last year.

Farooq's criminal conduct extended beyond the initial assault. He engaged in a relentless campaign of intimidation, threatening to release the explicit images to the victim's family, neighbors, and colleagues. He also threatened to display the photographs publicly by sticking them on the windows of her family home, causing her significant distress and fear. His actions were characterized by a pattern of coercion and psychological torment, which persisted over several months.

During the sentencing hearing at Preston Crown Court earlier this month, Farooq's barrister, Wayne Jackson, detailed the extent of his threats, emphasizing that Farooq had declared his intention to