A man from Halifax is beginning a three-year prison sentence after being convicted of a number of sexual offences, including sexual assault. Ismail Khaliq, 32, of Martins Mill, off Pellon Lane, was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court after a jury found him guilty following a trial.
The court heard that Khaliq continued to deny the offences. In a statement read to the court, one of his victims said the abuse had had “a lasting and profound effect” on their life, describing the fear and helplessness they experienced as overwhelming and saying they were left with shame and self-blame.
Khaliq was told he had lost his career in the ambulance service because of his offending. His barrister, Erin Kitson-Parker, said he had no previous convictions and argued that the delay between his police interview and charge should be taken into account. She accepted the offences were “grave crimes” but said there was still a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, despite his continued denials.
Sentencing him to three years in prison, His Honour Judge Richard Gioserano said he had no power to suspend the sentence, and doubted he would have done so even if he had the option. He said the seriousness of the offending meant immediate imprisonment was likely to outweigh any other factors in the case.
As well as the prison sentence, Khaliq will have to register as a sex offender for an indefinite period and will be subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order. The court’s decision means he will remain under strict monitoring once he is released.
