February 2019

A 19-year-old man who worked at a kebab shop in Portchester has avoided an immediate prison sentence after appearing before Portsmouth Crown Court for an offence involving sexual communication with someone he believed was just 13 years old.

Masoud Saddiq Yousef, 19, appeared before the court in connection with an offence of encouraging or assisting sexual communication with a child.

Yousef, who was reportedly employed at a kebab shop in Portchester, had been communicating with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old child.

Despite the nature of the offence, Yousef was handed a two-year community order rather than an immediate custodial sentence.

As part of his punishment, he was ordered to:

  • Complete up to 25 days of rehabilitation activity.

  • Participate in a sexual offending programme involving up to 60 sessions.

  • Comply with a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

  • Register as a sex offender for five years.

At just 13 years old, a child is legally and developmentally vulnerable to sexual exploitation by adults and older teenagers.

The court’s decision means Yousef was given a community-based sentence, with restrictions and rehabilitation requirements intended to address his offending and protect children.

The case raises important questions about how the justice system balances punishment, rehabilitation and safeguarding when dealing with sexual offences involving children.