A former imam has been found guilty of raping women and girls as young as 12 after using his position at an east London mosque to convince them he possessed magical powers. Abdul Halim Khan, 54, was convicted at Snaresbrook Crown Court of 21 offences, including rape, sexual assault and child sexual offences against seven victims.
The offences took place between 2004 and 2015 and involved members of the local Muslim community, three of whom were young teenage girls at the time. Khan lured the women and girls to isolated locations, telling them he needed to meet them to prevent harm from befalling them or their families.
Once alone with them, he raped or sexually assaulted them and claimed he was possessed by a Jinn, or evil spirit, while abusing them. Victims were left too frightened to speak out for years, fearing he could use so‑called “black magic” to harm them or their loved ones if they reported him.
Khan’s offending came to light in February 2018 when his youngest victim disclosed the abuse to a teacher. Police launched a major investigation, interviewing more than 50 witnesses before charging him in March 2023.
On Friday, Khan was convicted of nine counts of rape, four counts of sexual assault, two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, five counts of rape of a child under 13 and one count of assault by penetration. He has been remanded in custody ahead of sentencing at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday 14 May.
In a statement after the verdicts, one victim said the abuse she suffered as a child had left a “profound and lasting impact” on her life, affecting her sense of safety, her ability to trust and her understanding of relationships and authority. She said being listened to and believed during the investigation had helped restore some trust and urged other survivors to know they are “not alone” and “not to blame”.
Detective Sergeant Sara Yems, who led the investigation, said it took “remarkable strength” for victims to report abuse, especially when the perpetrator was a trusted religious figure. She praised the seven women for their “extraordinary courage” and said she hoped they would inspire others to come forward.
Melissa Garner, a specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said Khan had abused his position of trust to carry out a “vicious series” of rapes and sexual abuses, coercing victims into believing he had supernatural powers that could protect their families in exchange for sexual acts. She said the lifelong trauma caused by such offending “cannot be understated” and urged victims of child sexual abuse and sexual violence to report offences, stressing that support is available and that they are not alone.