Man, 20, Faces Sentencing for Rapes Committed as an 11-Year-Old Boy
A man who raped two primary school girls when he was just 11 years old is due to be sentenced today at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Fahad Ahmed, now aged 20, abused and raped the two young girls in 2017, then told his victims 'never tell anyone' about the incidents, according to prosecutor Barry White.
Victims Suffer Ongoing Psychological Harm
Both of Ahmed's victims have reported suffering ongoing psychological harm since the attacks. In a powerful impact statement, one girl revealed she has gone through periods where 'she no longer wants to be here,' adding that she was once bubbly but now feels isolated and withdraws from social situations.
She further explained that she finds it difficult to have conversations with men and stated, 'I can barely sleep at night. I no longer feel comfortable in my own skin.' The second victim said she sometimes feels afraid in the presence of men and struggles to sleep, noting that the abuse has severely impacted her relationships and friendships.
Guilty Verdict and Legal Proceedings
Ahmed, of Stoke-on-Trent, had denied two charges of rape of a child under 13 and two charges of assaulting a child by penetration. Following a trial, he was found guilty of all four charges. The case has drawn significant attention due to the extreme youth of the offender at the time of the crimes.
Paul Cliff, mitigating for Ahmed, accepted that psychological harm to the victims was inevitable. He urged Judge Sally Hancox to consider Ahmed's 'extreme youth' at the time of the offending, his previous good character, and his limited understanding of the offences.
Defence Arguments Focus on Youth and Rehabilitation
Mr Cliff argued that Ahmed had only just become capable of criminal legal responsibility at age 11. He emphasized that custody should be a last resort when sentencing someone for crimes committed as a child, even though Ahmed is now 20.
'The principal aim for this court is to sentence the offender as though he was being sentenced shortly after the offending took place,' Mr Cliff stated. 'Had he been dealt with in 2017, there is every likelihood that his case might have been dealt with in the youth court. There would be a realistic possibility that, had he been dealt with as an 11-year-old, a non-custodial sentence may have been imposed.'
He highlighted that in the nine years since the offences, Ahmed has led what he described as a 'blameless life,' with no previous offences recorded against him and no ongoing investigations. The pre-sentence report suggested Ahmed was immature even for an 11-year-old, with significantly underdeveloped psychomaturity and limited understanding of sexual intercourse at that age.
Ahmed was remanded into custody and will be sentenced today, with the court balancing the severity of the crimes against his youth at the time and subsequent behaviour.
