Sharmake Maxamed

A doctor from Leicester has been sentenced following his conviction for possessing and making indecent images of children. Sharmake Maxamed, aged 29, had his phone seized by authorities during an arrest at his home on Canal Street in 2021. The device was found to contain 50 indecent images and videos depicting child abuse, categorised as 28 category A (the most severe), 18 category B, and six category C.

The investigation began in July 2020 when the National Crime Agency (NCA) was alerted by the Australian Federal Police. An online account linked to Maxamed had received a folder containing several hundred files, prompting a coordinated international effort. Upon searching Maxamed's home, officers not only discovered the indecent material but also a small quantity of cocaine. Maxamed, who worked as a newly-appointed doctor in a hospital in Warwickshire but not in roles involving children, was chaperoned at work prior to his arrest. His contract was subsequently terminated.

Maxamed admitted three counts of making indecent images of children and possession of cocaine at Leicester Magistrates' Court on 12 January 2024. He was sentenced at Leicester Crown Court on Friday, receiving a 10-month custodial sentence suspended for two years. Danielle Pownall, senior investigating officer at the NCA, stated: 'Maxamed sought out images showing the horrific abuse of children. Thanks to work by dedicated officers at the NCA as well as support from our colleagues in Australia, we were able to bring him to justice.' The case highlights the role of international cooperation in tackling online child exploitation, with the NCA leading the UK aspects of the probe.