AKHTAR GUL RHAMANI SENTENCED IN HANLEY FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT ON YOUNG BOY

A man named Akhtar Gul Rhamani, a resident of Hanley, has been formally sentenced to prison following a disturbing incident involving the sexual assault of a young boy. The court proceedings revealed harrowing details of how the assault unfolded, highlighting the severity of the crime and its impact on the victim and his family.

According to court reports, Rhamani approached the boy as he was walking home from school in Hanley. The young boy, whose age was under 13, was lured into an allotment shed where the assault took place. The court heard that Rhamani handed the boy £15, which the boy attempted to return. However, Rhamani forcibly grabbed him by the stomach and legs, compelling him to sit on his lap. This act marked the beginning of a series of distressing events that followed.

During the assault, Rhamani did not release his grip on the boy. Instead, he pushed the child onto the ground, kissed his cheek multiple times, and then asked the boy to reciprocate by kissing him back. The court was shown evidence that Rhamani then held the boy by the neck and pressed his face close to the child's ear, refusing to let him leave despite the boy's pleas to be free. The young victim was crying during the ordeal and later confided in his parents about what had transpired.

Security footage from the scene, captured by CCTV cameras, confirmed that the boy left the allotment approximately twenty minutes after he arrived. DNA evidence further linked Rhamani to the crime, establishing his involvement beyond doubt. These pieces of evidence played a crucial role in the case, leading to Rhamani's guilty plea to charges of sexual assault of a child under 13.

In sentencing, the court imposed a prison term of 38 months on Rhamani. Additionally, he was subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and was registered as a sex offender for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions. The victim's family expressed their profound emotional distress, describing feelings of anxiety, fear, and financial hardship resulting from the incident.

Rhamani, an Afghan national who had been granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK in 2017, expressed remorse through his legal representatives. He conveyed feelings of embarrassment and disclosed that he has been undergoing treatment for alcohol-related issues. The judge noted that the assault lasted approximately twenty minutes and characterized the incident as a deliberate act of isolating the boy rather than an abduction. Although injuries were sustained during his arrest, Rhamani has not committed any further offenses since.

While his risk of re-offending is considered low, the court emphasized the importance of ongoing supervision. Rhamani is now subject to a lifelong sex offender register and a sexual harm prevention order, reflecting the seriousness with which the justice system views such crimes and the need to protect the community, especially vulnerable children in Hanley.