Shaban Ahmed

A former Iraqi police sergeant, Shaban Ahmed, has been convicted and jailed for the forcible rape of a 15-year-old schoolgirl in Glasgow. The incident occurred on 18 June 2006 in Knightswood Park, where Ahmed attacked the teenage victim. Following the assault, he handed her £10, an act described in court as part of the disturbing circumstances of the crime.

Ahmed, aged 34 and residing at Lincoln Avenue in Glasgow, denied the charges throughout the trial. However, a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh found him guilty on 19 September 2007. Presiding judge Lord Brodie addressed Ahmed directly during sentencing, stating: 'You have been found guilty by a jury of the forcible rape of a girl who was only 15 years of age at the time.' Lord Brodie acknowledged Ahmed's previous good character and his efforts to settle in Scotland, including establishing a stable relationship and obtaining employment. He noted these as mitigating factors but emphasised that there was no alternative to a custodial sentence.

The court heard details of the attack, highlighting the vulnerability of the victim, who was a schoolgirl at the time. Ahmed, who had been refused permission to stay in the UK, faces deportation proceedings by the Home Office after serving his five-year sentence. This case underscores the severity with which Scottish courts treat sexual offences against minors, as reported by BBC News in their coverage of the trial.

Background information reveals Ahmed's prior role as a police sergeant in Iraq before relocating to Scotland. The conviction ends a period of legal proceedings that began with his arrest following the reported assault. No further appeals were mentioned in the immediate reporting, and the focus remains on the impact of the crime on the young victim.