London imam, 54, jailed for life for abusing women and girls / Picture: File
A former east London imam who used claims of “supernatural powers” to manipulate and sexually abuse women and children has been jailed for life in one of the most disturbing abuse cases in recent years in the UK.Abdul Halim Khan, 54, was found guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court of 21 sex offences, including multiple rapes and rapes of children committed over nearly a decade. Prosecutors said the attacks took place between 2004 and 2015 and involved seven victims, some as young as 12 years old.The former imam, who lives in Bethnal Green, abused his position as a trusted religious figure in the Muslim community to target vulnerable women and girls. Investigators said he led some of his victims to believe he had supernatural powers and claimed he could disguise himself as a “jinn,” a jinn referenced in Islamic tradition during the attacks.Judge Leslie Cuthbert sentenced Khan to life in prison with a minimum term of 20 years and condemned what she called a “gross” abuse of trust by Khan. In sentencing, the judge said Khan acted “as if you were untouchable” while exploiting victims who trusted him because of his religious status.
How do imams claim to control their victims?
The case shocked prosecutors because of Khan’s alleged methods of manipulating his victims.According to the Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan Police, Khan convinced women and children to meet him alone in flats, isolated areas and secluded locations. Once there, he sexually assaulted or raped them, claiming supernatural forces were involved.Some victims were reportedly told they could be subject to “black magic” if they spoke out about the abuse. Others fear social stigma or harm to their families in the community if they come forward. Prosecutors said those concerns allowed Khan to continue committing crimes for years without detection.Police described the former imam as a “predatory offender” who deliberately used religion, fear and emotional control to silence his victims.During the trial, jurors learned how Khan systematically targeted women and girls who trusted him as a faith leader. Prosecutors argued that his respected public image allowed him to operate without suspicion for years.These crimes include:
- nine counts of rape
- Five counts of rape of a child under 13
- Two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13
- four counts of sexual assault
- one count of infiltration and assault
Police praise victims for breaking silence
Investigators say the case hinges largely on the courage of the victims, who finally decided to seek help from police after years of trauma and silence.The Metropolitan Police said many victims suffered the emotional impact of abuse for years until they felt able to report what had happened. Detectives praised them for helping to secure a conviction despite the difficulty of reliving the deeply traumatic experience.The case has once again reignited wider discussions in the UK about the abuse of power by those in authority and the dangers of unchecked power within religious or community institutions.Child protection experts say offenders in positions of trust often rely on fear, shame and community pressure to prevent victims from speaking out. The Khan case has also reignited discussions about how allegations of abuse are dealt with within tight-knit communities and whether victims receive adequate protection and support when they come forward.Reactions online after the sentencing showed widespread outrage, with many social media users expressing shock at the scale of the abuse and the length of time it allegedly continued unchecked.
Trust, power and community protection
The sentencing of Abdul Halim Khan is likely to remain one of the most high-profile abuse cases involving religious figures in the UK this year.For many observers, the case went beyond convicting individuals. It has become part of a wider national debate about safeguarding failures, abuses of power and the barriers victims still face when reporting sexual violence.Across the UK, several historic sex abuse scandals over the past two decades have exposed how predators sometimes exploit positions of trust, including religious authority, education, community leadership and the care system, to manipulate vulnerable victims while evading scrutiny for years.In Khan’s case, prosecutors said the abuse continued for years as the victim felt isolated, scared and powerless.The criminal proceedings ended with a life sentence at Snaresbrook Crown Court, but for survivors the emotional impact of the abuse is likely to last longer.
