An imam has been found guilty of raping women and girls as young as 12 after using his position as a faith leader at his east London mosque to convince them he had magical powers.

Abdul Halim Khan, 54, has been found guilty of twenty one counts of rape and sexual assault as well as child sexual offences against seven women and girls at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

The offences took place between 2004 and 2015, and three of his victims were young teenage girls at the time.

All seven were members of the local Muslim community, and Khan abused his position to convince them all to meet him in isolated places to carry out the sex attacks.

Khan would claim he needed to meet with the girls and women to prevent anything bad happening to them.

He then raped or abused them and claimed he had been possessed by a ‘Jinn’, or evil spirit, while doing so.

His victims were left too scared to tell friends or family for fear of him doing them harm via ‘black magic’, the CPS said.

Khan’s actions were finally discovered in February 2018 when his youngest victim bravely told a teacher what had happened to her.

Abdul Halim Khan, 54, has been found guilty of twenty one counts of rape and sexual assault as well as child sexual offences against seven women and girls

At Snaresbrook Crown Court (pictured) Khan was convicted of offences against seven victims, including three who were young teenage girls at the time

On Friday, Khan was convicted of 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.

Officers from the Met Police interviewed more than 50 witnesses as part of their investigation. They charged Khan in March 2023. 

Following the verdicts on Friday, one of the former imam’s victims said: ‘The abuse I suffered as a child has had a profound and lasting impact on my life. 

‘What happened to me did not end when the abuse stopped, it affected my sense of safety, my ability to trust others, and the way I understood relationships and authority.

‘Someone who should never have harmed me violated that trust, and the effects of that betrayal have stayed with me for many years and I continue to carry that trauma with me.

‘Like many survivors of childhood sexual abuse, I lived with shame, fear, and confusion that were not mine to carry. The loss of trust, in people, in systems, and at times in myself, shaped much of my adult life.

‘Coming forward was an extremely difficult decision. Speaking about what happened meant revisiting painful memories and facing emotions I had tried to suppress for years. 

‘However, being listened to, believed, and treated with dignity throughout the investigation helped restore some of the trust that had been taken from me. I am grateful to the Metropolitan Police officers who handled my case with care, professionalism, and sensitivity.

‘I hope this outcome acknowledges not only the abuse itself, but the deep and lasting harm it causes. 

‘I also hope it encourages other survivors of childhood sexual abuse to know that they are not alone, they are not to blame, and that what happened to them matter, regardless of how much time has passed.’

Khan has been remanded into custody ahead of sentencing at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday, May 14.

Detective Sergeant Sara Yems, who led the investigation, said: ‘It shows remarkable strength for anyone to report abuse, especially when the abuser is believed to be a trusted figure. 

‘The seven woman who came forward have shown extraordinary courage in speaking with police and I hope they serve as inspiration to other victims and survivors.

‘While nothing will undo the harm suffered by these women – yesterday’s conviction will hopefully offer a small measure of comfort. I’d like to thank the dedicated team of Met officers who left no stone unturned in their pursuit of justice.

‘We remain absolutely committed to tackling violence against women and girls, targeting dangerous offenders and removing them from London’s streets.’

Melissa Garner, Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: ‘Abdul Halim Khan a former imam abused his position of trust and authority to carry out a vicious series of rapes and sexual abuses against seven victims including three vulnerable teenage girls.

‘Khan coerced and deceived them into thinking that he possessed supernatural powers which could protect them and their families from harm in exchange for hideous acts of sexual abuse without their consent.

‘The lifelong physical and emotional trauma caused to victims by men like Khan cannot be understated.

‘We would like to thank the victims in this case for coming forward and reporting this devastating crime. I hope this conviction sends a clear message that the CPS will relentlessly pursue justice and prosecute those who sexually exploit women and children, whenever that abuse took place.

‘I encourage any victims of child sexual abuse and sexual violence to report the crimes committed against them to the police. You are not alone and there is always help available.’