A former Berkshire mayor has been jailed for helping his son hide key evidence during a police investigation into the rape of a 15-year-old girl.Naheed Ejaz, 61, most recently mayor of Bracknell Forest, was jailed for three years after being found guilty of perverting justice at Winchester Crown Court.Her son Diwan Khan, 41, was convicted of raping the teenager and has admitted trying to conceal evidence. He was jailed for 12 years and given an extended license period of five years.The court heard Eijaz delayed police at her home and spoke to her son in Urdu, giving him time to hide his mobile phone, which is believed to contain footage of the attack. The device was never recovered.Khan supplied the girl with drugs and alcohol before she lost consciousness. She later woke up in the car with no memory of what happened. Prosecutors said he filmed the entire attack and later used the video to threaten her.Sentencing Ejaz, Judge Rufus Taylor said she prioritized her son over justice.“You chose to protect him,” he said, adding that her actions created a “real risk” that Khan could have avoided prosecution, The Times (UK) reported.In a victim impact statement, the teenager described the lasting impact it had on her mental health.“I couldn’t sleep because of the flashbacks, and my mental health has been really bad,” she said. “In June 2025, I attempted suicide and ended up in the hospital. I just wanted to end my life so the pain would go away.”Detective Inspector Lee Clement said the victim had shown “considerable bravery” throughout the case.“The attack continues to have a significant impact on her mental health,” he said. “Khan targeted a vulnerable teenage girl and, along with his mother, attempted to cover up evidence to impede our investigation.”Ejaz, who had no previous convictions, was a former Bracknell Forest councilor. After the case, the council removed her official portrait and said it would review the way she and her son held their taxi licences.Khan will serve a minimum of eight years before being considered for parole and is subject to a long-term sexual harm prevention order and an indefinite restraining order.
