Faith Leader Jailed After 11 Years of Abuse Against Girls as Young as 12

A man who exploited his position as a respected religious figure to sexually abuse multiple victims over more than a decade has been convicted of 21 offences including nine counts of rape.
Abdul Halim Khan, 54, of Old Forde Road, London, claimed to possess spiritual powers while carrying out attacks on women and girls between 2004 and 2015. His youngest victim was just 12 years old when the abuse began.
The investigation commenced in February 2018 after Khan’s youngest victim disclosed the abuse to a teacher at her school. Metropolitan Police detectives subsequently built a case involving testimony from seven survivors and evidence gathered from over 50 witnesses.
Officers examined ten mobile phone devices as part of their enquiries into Khan’s extensive offending across the 11-year period. Throughout police interviews, Khan denied all allegations and claimed victims had fabricated their accounts as revenge through a conspiracy against him.
Khan manipulated his victims by threatening their families with harm if they refused to comply or attempted to report his behaviour. His position within the local community as a faith leader provided cover for the sustained abuse while making it more difficult for victims to come forward.
The jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court delivered guilty verdicts on Friday across all 21 charges. These included nine counts of rape, five counts of rape of a child under thirteen, four counts of sexual assault, two counts of sexual assault of a child under thirteen, and one count of assault by penetration.
Khan was charged on 16 March 2023 and has now been remanded into custody pending sentencing.
Detective Sergeant Sara Yems, who led the investigation, praised the courage shown by the seven women who reported Khan to police. She described their decision to speak out against someone regarded as a trusted figure as showing extraordinary strength.
One survivor described the lasting impact of childhood sexual abuse, explaining how the violation of trust affected her sense of safety, relationships and ability to trust others well into adulthood. She thanked Met officers for handling her case with care and professionalism, stating that being listened to and believed helped restore some of the trust that had been taken from her.
The survivor expressed hope that the outcome would encourage other victims of childhood sexual abuse to come forward, emphasizing that survivors are not to blame regardless of how much time has passed.
Khan will be sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday, 14 May. Anyone with information relating to Khan can contact police on 101 quoting Operation Sparebank, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
The Metropolitan Police has implemented new training for 23,000 officers and staff as part of efforts to strengthen investigations and support for victims of sexual violence. The force has tripled charges for rape and serious sexual offences following the victim-centered training rollout.
The 24/7 Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Line provides free phone and online chat support for anyone aged 16 and over in England and Wales on 0808 500 2222 or at 247sexualabusesupport.org.uk.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​