A Muslim cleric has been convicted of raping a young boy as he attended Islamic education lessons at his mosque...Mohammed Hanif Khan, 42, was also found guilty by a jury at Nottingham Crown Court of sexual activity with a child, as well as the two counts of rape.
The charges relate to two boys who attended the mosque in Capper Street, Stoke on Trent, where he was imam, in 2009.
Prosecutor Tariq Bin Shakoor told the jury part of Khan's job was to lead prayers and give Islamic education lessons to boys at evening classes.
He told the court one of the boys claimed in police interviews that he was singled out by Khan after evening prayer on several occasions. He was sexually assaulted in various areas of the mosque which were not covered by CCTV, Mr Shakoor told the court.
The other boy was assaulted when he was an overnight guest at Khan's house, the jury of six men and six women were told.
But in his evidence to the court Khan, of Owler Lane, Sheffield, said he had a close relationship with the youngsters because he tried to help them with their unruly behaviour, adding that he would often be more lenient on the boys if they were late or did not turn up for classes at the mosque because he was aware they had issues at home.
Khan's lawyer, Robert Woodcock QC, asked him who had invited him to get involved in the family's business and he said it was mainly the mothers of the two boys who asked for his help.
Khan, who told the court he travelled to Syria, Egypt, Pakistan, India and Cyprus to complete his imam training, showed no emotion as the jury delivered its verdicts.
A further five charges were dismissed by Mrs Justice Dobbs because the jury could not reach a decision, and she adjourned the trial for pre-sentence reports to a date yet to be fixed.
Previously On Imam Rape:
By emma king emma.king@thesentinel.co.uk
A TEENAGE boy made up allegations that an Imam attempted to rape him because he feared he would be sent to Pakistan, a court heard.
The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claims Imam Mohammed Hanif Khan sexually assaulted him and tried to rape him when he stayed over at his Meir home.
The 41-year-old Muslim leader, who now lives in Owler Lane, Sheffield, denies three counts of rape, four attempted rapes and one count of sexual activity with a child. The charges relate to two boys.
Nottingham Crown Court heard yesterday that the teenager's parents were struggling to control his behaviour and that Khan was also concerned that the boy was getting involved with drugs.
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The jury heard that last year the boy had admitted, in court, offences of robbery and attempted robbery relating to an incident.
Robert Woodcock QC, defending Khan, said to the boy: "In your police interview you denied being present and denied committing the offences.
"Then you pleaded guilty.
"I suggest that you are not someone who tells the truth.
"And I suggest that on the night at the Imam's house absolutely nothing happened as you describe."
The boy replied: "No".
Mr Woodcock said: "I suggest you and the other boy put your heads together and this is all lies.
"I believe that at the time you made this complaint there was a very serious consideration by the Imam and your grandfather to send you to school in Pakistan."
The boy denied members of his family wanted to send him to Pakistan because of his behaviour.
Mr Woodcock said: "After the night you spent at the Imam's house, you told your family he was a chilled out bloke and how he was somebody you could trust."
The boy said: "I told my mother that he was not the kind of person she thought he was. He might seem like a nice person but he's not."
"Did your mother not ask you what you meant by that?" said Mr Woodcock.
"Yes," said the boy. "I didn't have the confidence to tell her what happened."
"But you plucked up enough confidence to tell her what sort of man you thought he was. You could have just explained more about it?" said Mr Woodcock.
"I just couldn't. I was in shock," said the boy.
The trial continues.
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