A former female mayor has been sentenced to three years in prison for assisting her son in concealing incriminating evidence after he raped an unconscious 15-year-old girl. Naheed Ejaz, 61, a former Labour mayor of Bracknell in Berkshire, was condemned by a judge for attempting to cover up her son's crime.
Court Proceedings
The court heard that Ejaz delayed police entry into her home for over 90 seconds and spoke to her son, Diwan Khan, in Urdu, allowing him to hide his phone, which contained damning evidence. Judge Rufus Taylor stated that Ejaz 'chose to protect' her 41-year-old son despite knowing his crime involved an underage girl. He added that her actions created 'a real risk Khan might have avoided prosecution for the rape of an unconscious child.'
Impact on Victim
The victim, now 16, testified that the attack led to her failing her GCSEs and attempting suicide in June 2025. She stated, 'I just wanted to end my life so the pain would go away.' Khan had given the girl MDMA in vodka, causing her to black out, and then raped her in his car. He filmed the assault and threatened to show the video to her mother, saying he would 'slit her throat' if she told anyone.
Sentencing
Ejaz was found guilty of perverting the course of justice after a six-day trial. She showed no remorse during sentencing. Khan was convicted of rape and jailed for 12 years with an extended licence of five years. He also received a three-year concurrent sentence for perverting justice and a 20-year sexual harm prevention order. The phone containing footage of the assault was never recovered.
Background
Ejaz served as Mayor of Bracknell Forest for 2023/24, with Khan acting as Mayor's Consort. Prosecutor Ed Wylde noted that Ejaz's 'mother's love' clouded her judgment, leading to a 'conspiracy of silence.' Ejaz will serve at least 14 months before release on licence.
