Yonas Gebreab

In March 2023, Yonas Gebreab, then 18 years old, committed a grave sexual offence against a five-year-old boy in Harehills, Leeds. Gebreab, residing at Bayswater Row, persuaded the young child to enter a toilet with him under false pretences, where he forced the boy into a degrading sexual act to satisfy his perverted urges. The incident came to light shortly after when the boy's older sister grew suspicious of their activities and confronted Gebreab.

Gebreab initially claimed he was merely helping the boy wash his hands, but the sister noticed their hands were dry, prompting the child to reveal what had truly occurred. This led to immediate police involvement, and Gebreab was arrested. During questioning, he confessed to the sex attack, and forensic evidence further corroborated the allegations against him. Notably, Gebreab had no prior convictions, which was highlighted in court.

The case was heard at Leeds Crown Court, where Gebreab pleaded guilty to serious sexual assault. Mitigating on his behalf, barrister Timothy Jacobs emphasised Gebreab's remorse, significant immaturity at the time of the offence, and personal vulnerabilities, including partial deafness and learning difficulties. A pre-sentence report described him as emotionally and sexually underdeveloped. Jacobs suggested that the passage of time might mitigate the long-term impact on the young victim due to his tender age.

However, Recorder Edward Legard, presiding over the case, condemned the actions in stark terms. He stated: "You forced him into a degrading sexual act in order to satisfy a perverted sexual urge. Your actions will have profound consequences for the victim and others in his family. This kind of offending inevitably causes untold damage and distress. What you did was unforgivable. You took advantage of a very young child. No doubt given his tender years, he would have trusted you implicitly." The judge's remarks underscored the profound harm inflicted on the victim and his family.

Gebreab was sentenced to three years' detention in a young offender institute. In addition to the custodial term, he was placed on the sex offender register for life and subjected to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to protect the public from future risks. The case was reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post on 17 October 2024, drawing attention to the 'unforgivable' nature of the crime and its devastating effects.