YOUSAF KHURSHID FROM BOLTON ESCAPES JAIL DESPITE HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSE MATERIALS FOUND
In a disturbing case that has shocked the Bolton community, Yousaf Khurshid, aged 29, was found to possess an alarming collection of illegal and highly disturbing material related to child exploitation.The police uncovered a large cache of illicit images and a manual containing instructions on how to abuse young girls during a raid on his family home in Turton Heights, Bromley Cross, on November 16, 2018.
Following a detailed forensic investigation, authorities discovered that Khurshid had amassed a total of 33,487 indecent images of children.
Among these, 3,901 were classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of abuse, while an additional 10,061 images fell into Category B, and 19,525 into Category C.
The images included 796 prohibited images and 14 extreme pornographic pictures, highlighting the severity of the material he possessed.
The police also found a manual that was described during court proceedings as a 'paedophile manual,' which detailed methods of abusing underage girls.
This discovery raised serious concerns about Khurshid's intentions and potential actions beyond mere possession of illicit images.
When questioned by authorities, Khurshid admitted that he had found the images on online platforms such as Tumblr and other websites, claiming that he had developed a 'porn addiction' that had worsened over the past two years.
He expressed a desire to seek help for his issues.
Prosecutor Hugh McKee told Bolton Crown Court that the manual found in Khurshid's possession was explicit and detailed in its instructions on how to engage in sexual activities with minors.
Khurshid pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including three counts of making indecent images, possession of a paedophile manual, possession of extreme pornographic images, and possession of prohibited images.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Graeme Smith addressed Khurshid directly from the dock.
He expressed disappointment, stating, 'It sounds like you have a very promising career ahead of you, therefore it’s particularly disappointing that you’ve offended in this way.' The judge emphasized the seriousness of the case, noting that the presence of the paedophile manual suggested Khurshid may have moved beyond viewing images to potentially engaging in sexual activity with a child.
The judge remarked, 'You had blinded yourself to the obvious that what you was viewing was the real abuse of real children.' Despite the gravity of the offences, Judge Smith decided to suspend Khurshid's 16-month prison sentence for two years.
He explained that, due to current restrictions, a custodial sentence would only result in about eight months of detention, with limited opportunity for rehabilitation.
The judge believed that community-based intervention, including supervised work and rehabilitation, was the best way to protect the public.
In addition to the suspended sentence, Khurshid was subjected to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and a six-month curfew from 8 pm to 7 am.
He was also ordered to complete 53 days of rehabilitation activities aimed at addressing his offending behavior.
The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and the judiciary to combat child exploitation and protect vulnerable individuals from harm.
