Inam Khan – Wellingborough, Northamptonshire

A man has been sentenced today following a series of serious sexual offences against children in both Sussex and Suffolk.

Inam Khan, 37, of Troon Crescent, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, spent time in online chat rooms and on Snapchat, targeting young children while lying about his own age to build and manipulate trust.

On 19 September, 2022, Khan travelled to Suffolk from his home to meet with a 14-year-old girl who he had spent time grooming online and through Snapchat.

Khan then took the victim to a nearby location, where he went on to rape her.

A further attempted rape against the same victim was also reported to police.

Officers immediately began working to track Khan, and he was arrested on 1 October, 2022.

He was later charged with two counts of rape, and one of attempted rape.

In a similar style to his previous offending, Khan soon began work on grooming a 12-year-old girl in Sussex, while he pretended to be just 16-years-old.

He went on to ask her for explicit photographs, stating he needed them to prove that she was a girl.

In the early hours of 8 September, 2024, Khan made the long car journey to the 12-year-olds address and bombarded her with messages to pressure her into meeting him.

He went on to abduct her and sexually assault her.

Six days later, Khan drove to the area again and unsuccessfully attempted to meet the victim.

In total, it is estimated that Khan travelled around 600 miles during these two trips.

The offences were later reported to police, and Khan was quickly arrested on 25 November.

On 27 November, he was charged with assaulting a girl under 13 by touching, taking a child so as to remove her from a person having lawful control, engaging in sexual communications with a child, and with meeting a child following grooming.

At his hearing at Brighton Magistrates’ Court later that same day, Khan was remanded into custody ahead of further hearings.

This year, on 23 June, Khan’s trial began at Hove Crown Court and lasted for nine days.

On 3 July, the jury returned verdicts of guilty on all counts regarding both the Sussex and Suffolk cases.

Khan was then remanded back into custody ahead of his sentencing today – Monday, 22 December – at Hove Crown Court, where he was jailed for 19 years, with three further years to be spent on licence.