When he was giving evidence in the witness box, he ‘essentially admitted’ the offences of which he was eventually convicted by a jury
Ahmed Jalal was jailed for four years(Image: Humberside Police)
A nasty bully blackmailed a vulnerable girl and left her terrified that he would release intimate pictures of her to others. The girl suffered “substantial distress” and the worry of what might happen had a “hugely detrimental effect” on her, a court heard.
Ahmed Jalal, 24, of Grove Street, off Beverley Road, Hull, but recently in custody on remand, denied blackmail, two offences of taking indecent photographs of a child and another of possessing indecent photographs of a child with a view distributing them, in Cleethorpes. He was convicted by a jury at Grimsby Crown Court on September 4 after a trial.
Judge John Thackray KC told a sentencing hearing at Hull Crown Court that Jalal deliberately targeted a vulnerable victim and that, when Jalal was giving evidence in the witness box, he “essentially admitted” the offences of which he was convicted by the jury. Halal took photographs of the girl and started to blackmail her that he would release them to others.
“It had a hugely detrimental effect on her,” said Judge Thackray. “She was particularly vulnerable, not only because she was a young teenage girl.
“You knew that she would not be able to deal with these threats of blackmail and it was very difficult for her to confide in her family.” The matter was eventually reported to the police after she told friends.
“This is serious offending,” said Judge Thackray. “You targeted a particularly vulnerable victim.
“It caused substantial distress to this young girl. Plainly, the offending is so serious that it passes the custodial threshold.”
Jalal represented himself during the trial and the sentencing hearing after the lawyers who were originally involved withdrew from the case. He had nothing to say in mitigation. He had no previous convictions.
Jalal was jailed for four years. He was given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and he must register as a sex offender indefinitely. He was given a five-year restraining order.
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