MOHAMMED UMAR FROM WYKE SENTENCED AFTER SEXUALLY MOTIVATED BURGLARY AND DISTURBING BEHAVIOR IN BRADFORD

In August 2019, Mohammed Umar, a resident of Wyke, was sentenced to a prison term following a series of disturbing and criminal acts that caused significant concern within the local community. Umar, aged 25 and living on Storr Hill in Wyke, was convicted of multiple offenses including a sexually motivated burglary, outraging public decency, and breaching a restraining order. His actions not only involved theft but also exhibited troubling behavior that alarmed residents and authorities alike.

According to court proceedings, the incident that led to Umar’s arrest occurred on March 15 of that year. Prosecutor Dave MacKay detailed how Umar gained entry into a family home in Wyke through an open door. Once inside, he stole a pair of knickers belonging to a 19-year-old woman from a wash basket located in the kitchen. The homeowner’s father, upon noticing the triggered outside light, went to investigate and discovered Umar inside the house. The man promptly chased Umar out of the property, but the suspect was not finished with his disturbing conduct.

Shortly afterward, Umar was seen standing in the driveway of the same property. The homeowner’s father confronted him, and police were called to the scene. Umar was arrested and taken into custody. After admitting to the burglary at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates Court, he was granted bail pending further proceedings.

However, the troubling behavior continued. On Sunday, April 7, at approximately 9 a.m., Umar was spotted in a street in Wyke engaging in inappropriate conduct. Witnesses observed him peering through a house window before he proceeded to put his hand down his trousers and began to masturbate while laughing. A woman, witnessing his actions, attempted to deter him by running at him with her dogs. Umar responded by hiding behind a car, and when police arrived, he fled the scene.

Umar was brought back before the Magistrates Court, where he admitted to outraging public decency and breaching the restraining order previously imposed on him. The restraining order had been issued following a prior incident in which Umar broke into a family’s home and entered a girl’s bedroom at around 10:30 p.m. He was found in her parents’ room, sniffing a pair of her knickers, an act that further exemplifies his pattern of disturbing behavior.

During the court hearing, prosecutor MacKay emphasized the impact of Umar’s actions on the victims. The young woman who was burglarized expressed feeling unsafe in her own home and stated her fear of Umar’s potential future actions. MacKay highlighted that Umar’s offenses appeared targeted, particularly against young women, and that his behavior—especially the act of masturbating outside a residence—was both serious and distressing.

In mitigation, Abdul Shakoor acknowledged the gravity of Umar’s offending. He pointed out that Umar suffers from a mild learning disability and is considered to be in the lowest percentile of intelligence. Shakoor also noted that Umar has a supportive family willing to supervise him to prevent further incidents.

Judge Jonathan Rose described the case as “sad and troubling,” acknowledging Umar’s learning disability but emphasizing that it does not excuse his conduct. The judge expressed concern over Umar’s limited control over his behavior and the danger he posed to the public. He stated, “It’s sad because you suffer from a learning disability that I’m quite sure has some bearing on your behaviour. It doesn’t make you behave the way you do, but you have less control of your behaviour and the public need to be protected from you.”

Judge Rose further expressed his fears about Umar’s future, stating, “My greatest fear is what you are going to do next. I’m going to send you to prison but my fear is it won’t assist you at all, because you cannot be assisted. My fear is what will happen when you come out of prison, and as long as your parents are unable to protect the public from you there is little to be done to stop you from offending in the future.”

He concluded by condemning Umar’s “abnormal sexual desires,” asserting that prison would do little to correct such tendencies. Nonetheless, the court deemed incarceration necessary to protect the community, and Umar was sentenced accordingly, with the judge emphasizing the importance of public safety over rehabilitation in this particular case.