Slough men jailed for child sexual offences committed against ‘vulnerable’ teenage girls; Mayor of Slough resigns

From the Slough and South Bucks Observer

TWO ‘predatory’ Slough men have been jailed for sexually exploiting three vulnerable teenage girls.

Esmatullah Haidaree, 46, of Farm Crescent, and Azim Ahmed, 23, of Diamond Road, were jailed at Reading Crown Court on Monday for two years and six years respectively.

The pair were imprisoned for acts committed at a flat in Stratfield Road between January and May 2013. The two men invited the teenagers to the flat for ‘social gatherings’ where they were plied with food and alcohol before being exploited. The first victim was homeless after falling out with her family and Ahmed offered the flat to her as a refuge.

The court heard Ahmed engaged in sexual activity with the victims while Haidaree incited the girls to engage in sexual activity and sexually assaulted them.

In sentencing, referencing the first victim, Judge Johannah Cutts, said: “You [Ahmed] exploited that girl, in my view grooming her, supplying her with money and food and bought her alcohol in order to have sexual intercourse with her.”

The pair had appeared for sentencing after being tried in December last year at the same court. Haidaree was found guilty of two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and four counts of sexual assault and Ahmed was convicted of five counts of sexual activity with a child.

Ahmed was found not guilty of one count of sexual activity with a child under 13 and two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Both had pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Ahmed will be on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life. Haidaree will be on the register for 10 years. Both men were issued with a 10-year sex offences prevention order and a restraining order banning them from contacting the victims for 10 years. The sentencing of Ahmed drew gasps from his family seated in the public gallery where they were joined by Cllr Shafiq Chaudhry, mayor of Slough who had attended court to support them. 

Adrian Foster, Chief Crown Prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said “. . .The two men, Azim Ahmed, aged 23 and Esmatullah Haidaree, aged 45, both from Slough, who were convicted on 16 December last year of a number of sexual offences have still failed to accept any responsibility for their actions. They are nothing less than sexual predators. The jury saw through their fabrications and they must now face full responsibility for their despicable behaviour.”

From the Slough and South Bucks Express

Mayor of Slough resigns over ‘grievous error of judgement‘ 

The Mayor of Slough has today announced his resignation following his attendance of a sentencing in support of the family of a convicted criminal. Cllr Shafiq Chaudhry’s resignation , effective immediately, is from his role as Mayor though he will still remain a councillor.

On Monday, Cllr Chaudhry attended a sentencing at Reading Crown Court where Esmatullah Haidaree and Azim Ahmed were jailed for a total of eight years following an investigation into child sexual exploitation (CSE).

I attended the court to support a family torn apart by one man’s horrendous crimes,” he said. “I now realise that, despite my good intent for the family who are residents of Slough and my ward, my actions could be construed as me supporting a convicted criminal. To not recognise those potential consequences was a grievous error of judgement which has brought my position as Mayor into disrepute. . .  I apologise for any embarrassment this has caused and for any upset to the victims.”

Councillor Rasib who is currently the deputy Mayor of Slough will take over Mayoral duties until the election of a new Mayor in May 2015.