Imam Abdul Halim Khan Jailed

Abdul Halim Khan, a 54-year-old former imam in east London, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years for raping and sexually assaulting seven women and girls, some as young as 12. The crimes occurred between 2004 and 2015. Khan exploited his position as a trusted religious leader within the Bangladeshi Muslim community of Tower Hamlets, manipulating victims by claiming spiritual powers, such as the ability to remove evil spirits or 'djinn', and threatening them with 'black magic' if they reported the abuse. The United Kingdom — Metropolitan Police launched an investigation in 2018 after the youngest victim reported him to a teacher. Khan was found guilty in February of 21 sexual offenses, including multiple counts of rape and child sexual assault. The United Kingdom — Crown Prosecution Service worked to build the case, which involved a cultural expert to explain spiritual beliefs to the jury. Victims described years of trauma and manipulation, with one calling Khan 'evil personified'.