Islamic scholar, Fazul-Ur Rehman (44), has been prosecuted for sexually abusing a girl. Rehman told the child she was “a good girl” as he touched her to prevent her from telling anyone. The child eventually informed her parents of what had happened.
Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that the sexual assault left the girl confused and terrified. The victim was forced to give evidence from behind a screen in court.
Rehman denied three counts of sexual activity with a child, however, he was convicted to three years imprisonment.
While sentencing Rehman, Judge Martyn Zeidman said, “In advance of the trial you heard her pre-recorded interview, you knew what she was saying was the truth. But instead of pleading guilty you decided to bluff it out – it was your right to do so, but it knocks out what would have been useful mitigation. It would have avoided her having to come to court to be cross-examined. Inevitably the process causes suffering and you had the power to prevent that but chose not to do so.”
He was also indefinitely banned by a sexual harm prevention order from having any unsupervised contact with girls under the age of 16.
Judge Zeidman stated to the victim and her family, “Before parting from this case I would like to pay tribute to the complainant for her bravery in pursuing the case. She was an impeccable witness of truth and I would like her to know that she commands the respect of all who heard her in court.”
