ZEKI HILMI OF LITTLE HORTON SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC SEXUAL OFFENCES AGAINST BRADFORD CHILDREN

In April 2010, a disturbing case unfolded in Bradford involving Zeki Hilmi, a man with a long history of criminal behavior, who was ultimately sentenced to an indefinite prison term for a series of heinous sexual crimes committed against three young victims from the Bradford area.

Hilmi, aged 47 and residing at Hapsburg Court, Elsdon Grove, Little Horton, Bradford, had been released from prison less than a year prior, having served nine years for torturing and raping a woman. Despite his previous conviction, he quickly resumed a pattern of predatory behavior, targeting vulnerable children in his community.

The Bradford Crown Court heard that Hilmi, driven by what the judge described as “depravity and insatiable sexual hunger,” began molesting an 11-year-old girl, whom he believed to be “vulnerable and unloved.” His actions did not stop there; he went on to assault a boy and another girl, revealing a disturbing pattern of repeated abuse.

Judge Jonathan Rose condemned Hilmi’s actions, stating, “The full extent of your depravity and sexual hunger could not be sated by one child alone.” Hilmi pleaded guilty to a total of 22 sexual offences against the children, including five counts of indecent assault, four counts of indecency with a child, four counts of sexual activity with a child, and nine counts of indecent assault on a male. Additionally, he admitted to one count of common assault.

Prosecutor Simon Phillips QC provided a detailed account of Hilmi’s criminal history, revealing that his offending began in the 1970s with dishonesty-related crimes. His criminal trajectory escalated after he used cannabis and amphetamines, culminating in a terrifying attack in Hastings where he broke into a woman’s flat armed with a knife. During this assault, he bound and blindfolded her, cut off her underwear, raped her, and held her captive for three hours. This violent episode resulted in a nine-year prison sentence.

Further details emerged about Hilmi’s abuse of children. The first victim, a young girl, recounted how Hilmi barricaded her in a room and subjected her to ongoing sexual abuse over five years before she finally reported the crimes to police in March of the previous year. The second victim, a boy aged between 11 and 13, was molested by Hilmi during that period, during which he was also given cannabis and cigarettes. The boy later turned to drugs and alcohol, even attempting two heroin overdoses as a result of the trauma.

Hilmi also sexually abused a girl when she was 17 years old, with the offences occurring during that time. His solicitor, Michael Reeves, stated that Hilmi had confessed to the abuse, which spared his victims the ordeal of giving evidence in court.

Judge Rose described the offences as “of great gravity and, indeed, depravity,” and declared Hilmi a serious danger to the public. He sentenced him to an Indeterminate Sentence for the Protection of the Public, indicating that Hilmi might never be released. The judge specified that Hilmi would need to serve at least three years before being considered for parole.

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Sonia Hutchinson of the West Yorkshire Police Child and Public Protection Unit emphasized the danger Hilmi posed, stating, “Zeki Hilmi is clearly a dangerous man and he will now be locked away for a long time. I want to praise the courage of his victims throughout the case.”