AMJED AL GORSEINON CHILD SEX OFFENDER CAUGHT IN SHEFFIELD

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community, Amjed Al, a man previously residing in Gorseinon, was convicted of multiple serious child sexual offences in Sheffield. The case came to light after a series of alarming interactions with underage girls through social media platforms, leading to his arrest and subsequent court proceedings.

Amjed Al, who was 42 years old at the time, appeared before Sheffield Crown Court to face charges related to his inappropriate conduct involving minors. The charges included one count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and four counts of inciting a child to engage in prostitution. Al pleaded guilty to all these charges, which stemmed from his communications with five girls aged between 13 and 15 years old.

The criminal activities took place primarily in late 2014, when Al, also known by the alias Ahmed Alassady, initiated contact with the victims via a social networking site. His messages were of a graphic and sexual nature, explicitly asking the girls to engage in sexual acts for money. The severity of his actions was underscored when two of the victims reported the messages to the police in December 2014. Following these reports, law enforcement officers seized Al’s electronic devices, including his mobile phone and computer, which contained sexually explicit images and messages.

The case took a dramatic turn in July 2015 when an angry uncle, suspicious of Al’s intentions, decided to go undercover to catch him. Posing as a teenage girl online, the uncle managed to lure Al to a meeting at a tram stop in Sheffield. When Al arrived, police were waiting, and he was promptly detained. Investigations revealed that Al had contacted nearly 200 schoolgirls across South Yorkshire via Facebook, attempting to solicit sex from them.

During the court hearing, it was disclosed that Al, a PhD student in chemistry from the Hillsborough area, had used two different Facebook profiles to send sexual messages to young girls. One of his victims was a 13-year-old girl to whom he sent indecent images and suggestive messages, falsely claiming he was 18. The court was told that the girl’s uncle became concerned after noticing her strange behavior and discovered messages indicating Al’s willingness to pay her £100 for a night of sex.

Further investigation by the police revealed that Al had contacted at least 189 girls on Facebook and had engaged in conversations with around 50 of them. He had asked several girls aged 13 to 15 whether they were virgins and offered monetary incentives for sexual acts. The court heard that Al’s intentions were predatory and calculated, with clear evidence of his attempts to exploit minors.

During the proceedings, Al expressed a desire to be deported back to Iraq, citing fears of further punishment from Iraqi authorities. His defense argued that he was an isolated individual even before his arrest, which may have contributed to his actions. The court was also informed that Al had come to the UK from Iraq to pursue his studies.

Judge Julian Goose QC sentenced Al to three years and two months in prison. As the sentence was announced, Al collapsed in court, a sign of the gravity of his crimes. The judge stated, “I am satisfied that you were determined to carry out what you wanted – that was to meet up with a child and have sex with the child and pay them for it.” The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by online predators and the importance of vigilance in protecting vulnerable minors from exploitation.