June 2023

Determined detective work snares predatory rapist who targeted 11-yr-old girl

Determined detectives intercepted a predatory rapist who fled the country after he had subjected a child to a prolonged campaign of sexual abuse.

Abbas Alsaed, 28, of Kingsbury, London pleaded guilty to eight counts of rape and sexual assault at Harrow Crown Court on 1 December 2022.

He was sentenced on Wednesday, 21 June to 14 years in prison. He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register and is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.

The offences took place between May 2021 and June 2022 in a wooded area of Fryent Country Park, Wembley, when Alsaed approached the victim, an 11-year-old girl, claiming to be a child protection officer. He proceeded to befriend the victim before taking her mobile phone number.

Over the following year Alsaed spoke with the victim, inviting her to a specific location within the park, where he proceeded to rape and sexually assault her on numerous occasions.

Police were later notified of the offences after concerns were raised by a member of staff at the victim’s school. This led to an immediate arrest attempt, which proved negative. Alsaed later spoke with police, claiming he would hand himself in, before fleeing the country.

As a result, officers from the Met’s Predatory Offender Unit led a dedicated manhunt for Alsaed and following a number of initial enquiries, established that he had travelled to the Netherlands. Officers believe he was hoping to travel onwards to Iraq.

Further enquiries were conducted, including looking at CCTV, phone data and speaking with the Dutch authorities. This resulted in the successful arrest of Alsaed at St Pancras station when he returned to the country on 15 August 2022.

Alsaed was interviewed and later charged with eight counts of rape and sexual assault before he was remanded in custody.