EDGWARE MAN JAWWAD AKRAM SENTENCED FOR PREGNANT 15-YEAR-OLD IN SCOTLAND AND LONDON CRIME

In May 2022, a disturbing case unfolded involving a 54-year-old man from Edgware, North London, who was convicted of heinous crimes against a vulnerable teenage girl. The man, identified as Jawwad Akram, was sentenced to 11 years in prison after it was established that he had engaged in a series of manipulative and exploitative acts that culminated in the girl becoming pregnant at the age of just 15.

Akram, a married man originally from Pakistan, had targeted the young girl between August and October 2021. During this period, he systematically groomed her by showering her with expensive gifts, including trainers and a mobile phone, knowing well her difficult upbringing and the emotional vulnerabilities that made her susceptible to his influence. Witnesses, including the victim’s mother, testified that Akram had shown blatant contempt for her family, even going so far as to call them “gypsies,” which underscored his disrespect and disdain.

According to the victim’s family, Akram was fully aware that their daughter was only 15 years old. Despite this, he made a shocking offer of marriage, promising “all the money in the world,” including a sum of £50,000, to secure her hand in marriage. Her family refused his proposal, with her mother describing in a victim impact statement that she found it “unnatural” for a man in his fifties to seek marriage with a teenager, considering him old enough to be her grandfather.

Following the rejection, the girl went missing after her family refused to allow her to marry Akram. It was later revealed that he had taken her to a rented flat in Dundee, Scotland, where he engaged in sexual activity with her on multiple occasions. The police eventually located her after a month, and she was placed into social services care. Akram admitted to having sex with her “six or seven times,” which ultimately resulted in her pregnancy.

His initial arrest occurred in September after he traveled with the girl to a hotel in Notting Hill, claiming he was staying with family members. However, the hotel manager, noticing the significant age difference and suspicious behavior, contacted the police. Akram was detained and released on bail under strict conditions, including a ban on contacting the girl. Despite this, he quickly broke his bail, engaging in video calls with her and making arrangements for a new flat in Dundee.

Shortly thereafter, the girl disappeared from her foster home and was found in Scotland, having been taken there by Akram under travel arrangements he organized. He was arrested at his residence a few days later, and the girl was recovered from a property in Dundee. During police interviews, Akram displayed a dismissive attitude, refusing to assist in locating her and showing a “so what” attitude when reminded of her young age. DNA evidence confirmed that he was the biological father of her unborn child, although she later chose to terminate the pregnancy.

Further evidence revealed Akram’s attempts to manipulate the situation; police transcripts indicated he was trying to procure a fake birth certificate for the girl. He claimed he believed she was 19 and only became aware of her true age in September. He also denied facilitating travel for sexual purposes after this realization.

Following a trial at Harrow Crown Court, the jury deliberated for just over an hour and a half before finding Akram guilty of engaging in sexual activity with a child and facilitating travel for exploitation. The court heard emotional victim impact statements from the girl’s mother, who described the profound psychological trauma her family endured. She expressed feelings of despair, stating she had contemplated suicide upon hearing about her daughter’s disappearance.

Judge Rosa Dean, the Honorary Recorder of Harrow, sentenced Akram to 11 years in prison. She condemned his treatment of the victim and her family, emphasizing the significant disparity in age and the predatory nature of his actions. The judge highlighted the manipulative and narcissistic behavior displayed throughout the case, noting that Akram had treated the girl and her family with contempt and disrespect, especially given their socioeconomic status.

In addition to his prison sentence, Akram was subjected to a sexual harm prevention order, a restraining order, and will remain on the sex offenders register for life. The court’s verdict underscored the devastating impact of his actions on the victim, her family, and his own wife, illustrating the grave consequences of grooming, exploitation, and abuse of a minor.