AHMED LEGHARI FROM FAGLEY SENTENCED AFTER SEX WITH 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN BRADFORD

In a case that has shocked the local community of Fagley and the wider Bradford area, Ahmed Leghari, aged 21, has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term after being found guilty of engaging in sexual activities with a 15-year-old girl. The disturbing events unfolded over a period of several months, during which Leghari repeatedly violated legal boundaries and exploited the vulnerability of a minor.

According to court proceedings, Leghari, who resides on Foston Lane in Fagley, was involved in grooming the young girl, a process that involved persistent efforts to establish a relationship despite being under a Child Abduction Warning Notice. The court heard that he continued to see her even while on bail, showing a blatant disregard for the restrictions placed upon him. The prosecutor, Jonathan Sharp, detailed how Leghari and the girl engaged in sexual encounters in a caravan located outside Leghari’s home. This caravan was considered by his family as his private space, which he used to carry out these illicit activities.

During the police investigation, officers discovered Leghari lying on a bed inside the caravan, with the girl hiding in a storage compartment beneath the vehicle. Evidence collected from the scene included a thong containing Leghari’s semen and the girl’s DNA, which confirmed their sexual contact. The prosecutor emphasized the girl’s vulnerability, noting that she was at high risk of sexual exploitation and had begun sneaking out of her home to meet Leghari. She had also secretly obtained a new phone to communicate with him, despite her mother’s attempts to warn her against the relationship.

Her mother, visibly distressed, delivered a heartfelt victim impact statement, expressing her heartbreak and devastation. She described her daughter as her “little girl” and conveyed her pain, stating, “I am heartbroken. I just want this to be over.”

Leghari pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of sexual activity with a child, possession of cannabis, dangerous driving, and driving without a license or insurance. The court was told that the girl was particularly vulnerable and that Leghari had taken advantage of her need for love and affection by grooming her, providing her with cannabis, and engaging in sexual acts.

Despite being reminded of her age and the legal restrictions, Leghari continued his interactions with her. In September of the previous year, they had sex again at a flat in Bradford. The girl answered the door in her dressing gown to a relative, and Leghari fled the scene from the bathroom. When questioned by police, Leghari made a chilling statement: “She wanted to have sex and she got it.”

Further criminal behavior was revealed when, just days after being bailed again, Leghari purchased a car for £900 without holding a valid driving license. On March 23, he led police on a dangerous, late-night five-mile chase through Bradford, with the girl in the vehicle. During the pursuit, which involved two police cars and a helicopter, Leghari ran red lights, forced another driver to swerve, and drove at speeds of up to 70mph. He eventually abandoned the car in a wooded area after driving down a dirt track. He was later found walking with the girl towards his home, claiming he had been in bed all day and only went out for a walk.

Judge Jonathan Rose addressed Leghari directly, emphasizing the seriousness of his actions and the law’s stance on minors. He stated, “You and others must understand that Parliament and the law has determined that a child under 16 is not old enough and mature enough to make an informed decision to engage in sexual activity.”

The judge highlighted how Leghari exploited the girl’s vulnerability, grooming her and engaging in sexual acts despite her inability to protect herself. Leghari had even contacted her from prison, expressing a desire to marry her, further illustrating his manipulative behavior.

Leghari was sentenced to a total of seven years and nine months in prison, with three years for the first sexual offence, four years for the second, and nine months for dangerous driving. An additional month was added for possession of cannabis, to be served concurrently. He was also disqualified from driving for five years and ten months. Furthermore, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed, with no time limit, and he was ordered to register as a sex offender. The court also ordered the confiscation and deprivation of the Citroen car involved in the illegal driving incident, underscoring the severity of his criminal conduct.