IMAM AT MEDWAY MOSQUE GUILTY OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

A once "trusted and revered" religious leader is facing a lengthy spell behind bars after being found guilty of molesting four children he taught at a mosque.Qari Sher Mohammad - who was Imam at the Muslim Community Centre in Chatham - had denied multiple abuse charges, telling a court he would not have behaved inappropriately with the students out of "fear of god".He also branded one of his accusers a "very rude troublemaker" and claimed any touching had simply involved hands or heads, occurred in front of parents and was a display of "respect and kindness".However, the jury found otherwise and on March 7, Mohammad was convicted of 16 offences related to sexual assault of four children over a nine-year period, ruling that he had singled out victims for "extra attention" by hugging, touching under or over their clothing, and kissing them on the lips.Some victims had their chests massaged as he claimed it would aid physical development, and others were pulled onto his lap in areas out of view of security cameras. One child described how he hugged "too tight" and put his hand "all the way up" their clothing.Mohammad, who is from Forest Gate, east London, was first questioned by police in 2018 and again in 2023, denying all allegations and presenting himself as "a fatherly figure" to the children.The court heard the trust many children placed in him was shattered when he committed the sexual offences, which police initially investigated in 2018 but did not prosecute at that time. Further abuse was uncovered five years later when new allegations emerged.Parents of the victims initially contacted the mosque seeking CCTV footage and advice but decided to report the offences formally only when they felt they had no other options. Mohammad denied 17 charges dating back to 2014, and was found guilty of all but one, which was discharged.The defendant is expected to be sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on May 23.