Samiral Choudhury

Samiral Choudhury, a 30-year-old drug dealer from Rochdale, was exposed as a paedophile through advanced fingerprint technology during a routine police stop in June 2017. Initially arrested for drug offences, the discovery of keys on his person led officers to a locked metal cabinet in his bedroom containing ten child-sized bras, believed to be trophies from his abuse of a young girl, and a USB stick with indecent images of children as young as seven.

The investigation began on 20 June 2017 when Greater Manchester Police pulled over Choudhury's Mercedes car in Entwistle Street, Rochdale, as part of a major probe into cocaine and heroin supply in the North West. A kilo of cocaine was found in the vehicle, leading to his arrest and a four-year sentence for intent to supply a Class A drug. During the search of his possessions, a set of mystery keys was seized, which later unlocked the cabinet revealing the disturbing items. Prosecutor Simon Blakeborough described the bras as 'training bras used by young girls who are just starting to develop breasts during puberty,' highlighting their connection to child victims.

• Choudhury's mobile phone contained a 48-second video of the sexual abuse of a child estimated to be aged seven to ten.
• Two still images showed a young girl on a bed with a man's hand groping her breast.
• Videos of an undressed adult woman drying off after a shower, filmed via a peephole camera cable hidden under his pillow.
• Covert videos of fully clothed children in public spaces.

Choudhury denied the offences while in prison for his drug conviction, claiming the USB was for work and accessible to others, and the peephole camera was for spotting rodents. However, specialist officers used cutting-edge technology to match his fingerprints from a still image in one of the high-definition videos. By zooming in on the ridges and swirls of his fingers from photos taken during the drug investigation, they linked him irrefutably to the abuse material. This marked only the second use of such technology in Greater Manchester to secure a conviction.

On the first day of his trial at Minshull Street Crown Court, Choudhury pleaded guilty to sexual assault by penetration of a child under 13, sexual assault of a child under 13, and voyeurism. Sentenced on 17 February 2020 to seven years and two months in prison, he wept in the dock as the details were read out. Judge Sarah White noted his remorse, with his defence stating he was 'pretty upset and embarrassed' and willing to undertake courses to address his behaviour. His parents attended court and stood by him despite not excusing his actions.

Detective Constable Adam Cronshaw of Greater Manchester Police's Serious Crime Division commented: 'Choudhury is not only a convicted drug dealer but now a convicted paedophile too. The sentence imposed by the court today highlights the justice system’s commitment to protecting children from predatory and shameful behaviour. Sexual offences often have a life-long impact on victims. We are 100 per cent committed to bringing those responsible for these shocking crimes to justice.' Choudhury was also made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, barring unsupervised contact with children under 16 and requiring police inspection of his internet-capable devices. The case, reported by the Manchester Evening News and Cambridgeshire Live, underscores the role of forensic innovation in tackling child sex offences.