HIKMET YEYHA FROM BISHOP’S STORTFORD JAILED FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE IMAGES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Bishop’s Stortford, Hikmet Yehya, aged 57, was sentenced to prison after authorities uncovered a significant collection of illegal images and videos involving children on his personal devices. The arrest took place in March 2013 when police officers executed a search warrant at his residence, leading to the seizure of two hard drives that contained a troubling cache of illicit material.

During the investigation, it was revealed that a total of 842 images and 30 videos had been downloaded onto these drives. Among these, seven images and three videos were classified at Level 5, indicating the most severe category of abuse material. Additionally, there were 64 images and 16 videos at Level 4, 34 images and 6 videos at Level 3, 10 images and 4 videos at Level 2, and a staggering 727 images along with a single video at Level 1. These details were presented during the court proceedings at Luton Crown Court, highlighting the extent of the material stored on Yehya’s devices.

Prosecutor Wayne Cleaver emphasized that the children depicted in the images were pre-teen and pre-pubescent, underscoring the heinous nature of the crimes. The evidence indicated that these images and videos had been stored on Yehya’s hard drives for over four years, suggesting a prolonged period of possession and distribution of such material.

Yehya, who resides on Queens Crescent in Bishop’s Stortford, faced multiple charges. He was convicted of ten counts of making (downloading) indecent images of children, two counts of possessing such images on his hard drives, and one count of possessing extreme pornography. The court heard that Yehya maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, aided by an Arabic interpreter, and expressed his intention to appeal the conviction.

His defense lawyer, Lewis Perry, argued that Yehya was a family man and a law-abiding citizen who worked as a human rights journalist. Perry stated, “Mr Yehya still maintains his innocence. He works as a human rights journalist and recognises the harm that has been caused to the children involved. He is a family man and a law-abiding citizen. In all other respects, he is a decent and hard-working person.” Perry also provided references from Yehya’s friends and family, including his daughter, to support his character.

However, Judge Stuart Bridge was unequivocal in his remarks. He condemned the material found on Yehya’s devices, stating, “These images and movies show the degradation of children of a very young age. These offences are always treated seriously. Those who download and store these images and movies fuel the market for the abuse of children.” The judge explained that he could not consider a rehabilitative sentence because Yehya was in denial about the offences.

Ultimately, Yehya was sentenced to 12 months in prison. Additionally, the court imposed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, which included a stipulation that risk management software be installed on his computers. This measure is intended to allow police to monitor his internet activity and prevent further offences, reflecting the seriousness with which the court viewed the case and the ongoing threat posed by such crimes.