A court in east London has sentenced Abdul Halim Khan, a 54-year-old former Indian imam, to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years. The sentencing follows his conviction in February on 21 counts of rape, sexual assault, and child sexual offences.

The incidents involved seven victims from the local Bangladeshi Muslim community, including girls as young as 12, and occurred between 2005 and 2014.

The court established that Khan targeted isolated locations, including flats and secluded areas, to carry out the offences. During the sentencing at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Judge Leslie Cuthbert stated that Khan held a position of power and authority, which he used for sexual gratification.

The judge noted that Khan selected victims from the local community because he believed his standing would prevent them from speaking out due to social pressure.

According to the prosecution, led by Sarah Morris KC, Khan told victims he needed to cleanse them of evil spirits. He claimed to some that he was possessed during the assaults. Khan also used threats of death or harm through black magic against the victims and their families to ensure their silence.

In one instance, Khan told a young victim she had ovarian cancer that only he could cure, before driving her to a secluded area where the assault took place.

The 21 convictions include 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.

Before the sentencing, the court received letters supporting Khan from his family and some community members.

Victim impact statements read in court detailed the consequences of the assaults, with one individual stating she had attempted suicide.

One victim, who was a child at the time of the abuse, stated, “To me, Khan is not a human being, he is evil personified”, She added that fear was instilled in her through his actions while he operated under the guise of a religious man.

Detective Chief Inspector Jennie Ronan stated that Khan presented himself as a respectable individual to exploit others, while praising the strength of the survivors during the trial.

Melissa Garner from the Crown Prosecution Service stated that Khan used religious beliefs to silence the victims.