Medway, Kent – Sep16, 2025 – A man who served as an imam at a local mosque in Medway has been sentenced to prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting multiple children under his religious tutelage. The case, which echoes a disturbing pattern of abuse by religious figures in the UK and beyond, has reignited calls for stronger safeguards in faith-based settings. Authorities emphasize that while such incidents are not representative of any community, the failure to address them adequately has left vulnerable children at risk for far too long.
The offender, whose identity has been protected under reporting restrictions to avoid prejudicing related investigations, targeted young boys and girls during Quran lessons and community activities at the mosque between 2018 and 2022. Kent Police detailed in their official statement that the assaults involved inappropriate touching and exploitation of trust, with victims as young as eight years old. The case came to light after one victim disclosed the abuse to a family member, prompting a swift investigation by local authorities.
In a landmark ruling at Maidstone Crown Court last week, the imam was found guilty on six counts of sexual assault against children. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, with an additional 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed to restrict his contact with minors. The judge described the crimes as a "gross betrayal of the sacred trust placed in religious leaders," highlighting how the perpetrator used his position to groom and silence victims through threats of spiritual consequences and community ostracism. Kent Police commended the bravery of the survivors, noting that their testimonies were pivotal in securing the conviction. "This sentencing sends a clear message: no one is above the law, especially those in positions of authority over children," a police spokesperson said.
This Medway case is part of a broader, troubling trend of child sexual abuse perpetrated by imams and other religious leaders in mosques across the UK. Over the last five years (2020–2025), at least a dozen high-profile convictions have been recorded involving imams or Quran teachers in England and Wales, according to reports from legal firms and inquiries like the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). Notable examples include:
- In 2023, Abdus Sukur, an imam in Brighton, was convicted of two counts of sexual assault on a child (offences from 2015–2018) and received a suspended nine-month sentence, a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and registration on the Sex Offenders Register.
- Muhammad Asgar, a Quran teacher at Croydon Mosque, was jailed for 10 years in 2023 for attempted rape and four counts of sexual assault against two boys.
- Mohammed Ilyas Alibhai, an imam in Bradford, was sentenced to one year in prison in February 2023 for three counts of sexual activity with a child.
- Yusuf Sacha, a community religious figure in Batley, received 15 years in 2023 for 12 offences, including rape and indecent assault of children.
These cases, drawn from court records and advocacy reports, represent only those that reached prosecution; experts from organizations like Faith Associates estimate significant underreporting due to cultural stigma, fear of community backlash, and internal handling within mosques. The IICSA's 2021 report on religious organizations revealed that one in ten child sexual abuse cases in the UK occurs in faith settings, with Muslim institutions facing particular scrutiny for lacking mandatory reporting mechanisms. A 2020 testimony to the inquiry from the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) acknowledged "100% underreporting" in Muslim communities, citing vulnerabilities in mosques and madrasahs where predators exploit authority gaps.
The pattern extends globally, with similar convictions and allegations surfacing in the last five years across diverse regions. In Pakistan, a 2017 Associated Press investigation documented thousands of abuse cases in madrassas, with recent examples including the 2024 arrest of a Lahore religious leader for assaulting students and multiple 2023–2025 incidents in Jambi, Indonesia, where a pondok pesantren headmaster was jailed for abusing 12 children. Turkey saw the 2022 arrest of a Diyanet-appointed imam in Balıkesir for sexually abusing seven children aged 8–12. In Kuwait, an Egyptian Islamic teacher was arrested in 2024 for assaulting six children, sparking widespread outrage. India's OpIndia reported six mosque-related abuse cases in May 2024 alone, including rapes in madrasas across states like Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. In Iran, a 2016 case against Quran teacher Saeed Tousi for molesting children resurfaced in ongoing discussions, while Malaysia's 2024 arrests in Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB) homes involved sexual abuse linked to religious sects.
Worldwide, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimates that religious institutions, including mosques, account for a disproportionate share of unreported child sexual abuse due to power imbalances and cultural taboos. A 2024 BBC Arabic investigation exposed systematic abuse in Quranic schools across the Middle East and North Africa, including chaining and sexual assault of children under five. The #MosqueMeToo movement, which gained traction in 2018 and continues into 2025, has amplified survivor stories from Hajj pilgrimages and mosques in Saudi Arabia, India, and Pakistan, highlighting groping and assaults in crowded religious spaces. ECPAT International, a global network against child exploitation, reported a 541% surge in child sexual abuse material involving religious contexts from 2017–2023, urging faith leaders to prioritize prevention.
In response, the UK government has intensified efforts to treat these crimes with the utmost seriousness, implementing sweeping reforms to bolster child safety in religious institutions. Following the IICSA's 2022 final report, which exposed failures across faiths including Islam, the government committed £10 million in 2025 to local initiatives targeting grooming in community settings like mosques. Key measures include:
- Mandatory Reporting Laws: The Crime and Policing Bill (introduced spring 2025) criminalizes failure to report child sexual abuse in regulated environments, including faith institutions, with professional bans and up to two years' imprisonment for cover-ups. This directly addresses IICSA findings that mosques often handle allegations internally without police involvement.
- Sentencing Reforms: Grooming is now an aggravating factor in child sexual offence sentencing, leading to harsher penalties—up to life imprisonment in severe cases—as seen in the Medway ruling.
- Victim Support Enhancements: Removal of the three-year limitation period for civil claims against institutions like mosques, shifting the burden of proof to defendants. Amendments to the Law of Apologies encourage religious organizations to issue formal apologies without admitting liability, aiding survivor healing. A national redress scheme for institutional abuse victims is under consideration in the 2025 spending review.
- Data and Safeguarding Improvements: Introduction of a single child identifier in the Children and Wellbeing Bill for better tracking of abuse risks. The Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy (updated 2025) funds mosque audits and training via the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB), which now mandates child protection policies despite earlier claims of rarity.
- Online and Local Focus: £10 million for disrupting grooming gangs, with specific outreach to Muslim communities, and new laws targeting AI-generated child abuse material, which has surged in religious exploitation cases.
Then Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated in a January 2025 address: "Institutions must never prioritize reputation over children's safety. These reforms ensure perpetrators face justice, and survivors receive the support they deserve." The MCB has partnered with government programs, delivering safeguarding training in over 500 mosques since 2023.
Internationally, efforts mirror the UK's push for accountability. UNICEF collaborates with religious leaders in Pakistan and Indonesia to regulate madrasas, including mandatory background checks and reporting protocols. ECPAT's 2019–2025 campaigns have engaged imams in 500+ UK and global mosques to denounce abuse via unified sermons, backed by INTERPOL's focus on cross-border religious exploitation. In Australia, a 2024 national survey prompted religious organizations to adopt zero-tolerance policies, with a noted decline in abuse rates. The UN's Sustainable Development Goals emphasize ending violence against children, with faith-based initiatives in Africa and the Middle East training clerics to recognize and report abuse.
While progress is evident, experts warn that underreporting persists, particularly in close-knit communities where shame silences victims. The Medway case underscores the urgent need for vigilance: as one survivor advocate noted, "Religious spaces should be sanctuaries, not sites of trauma." Governments worldwide, including the UK, are signaling zero tolerance, but true safety demands cultural shifts alongside legal ones. Families are urged to report suspicions to authorities like the NSPCC helpline (0808 800 5000 in the UK) or local police, ensuring no child suffers in silence.
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