Abdul Halim Khan

A former east London imam who used his religious authority to rape and sexually abuse women and girls as young as 12 has been handed a life sentence, with a minimum term of 20 years.

Abdul Halim Khan, 54, targeted seven victims from the local Muslim community between 2005 and 2014, exploiting their trust in him as a religious leader to carry out his crimes.

Khan claimed his victims needed cleansing of evil spirits and threatened that “black magic” would bring death or harm to them or their families if they spoke out.

He told one young victim she had ovarian cancer that only he could cure, before driving her to a secluded location and raping her.

He was convicted of nine counts of rape, five counts of rape of a child under 13, four sexual assaults, two sexual assaults of a child under 13 and one assault by penetration — 21 offences in total.

Sentencing Khan at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Judge Leslie Cuthbert said he had systematically abused his power and authority for sexual gratification and behaved as though he was untouchable.

Prosecutors said he had weaponised his victims’ faith, while survivors described lasting psychological harm.

One woman, who was a child when Khan abused her, told the court he had hidden behind the guise of a religious man.