Boy, 12, who raped two young girls gets lighter sentence due to ‘immaturity’

Mohammed Ahmed was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh (Picture: PA)

A rapist who attacked two girls when he was 12 has been handed a lighter prison sentence due to his ‘immaturity’ at the time.

Mohammed Ahmed is now 24 but was aged 12 when he attacked the two girls, who were both aged nine when his campaign of abuse began.

Ahmed was caught after being confronted by one of his victims years later.

During an earlier trial, he admitted he had initially contacted police following the confrontation, and implied he wanted to take his own life due to the allegations against him, Sky News reports.

He pleaded not guilty to a series of charges but was found guilty of five offences involving the two girls.

He sexually assaulted and raped one girl in December 2010, and was also found guilty of assaulting her by punching her, grabbing her by the hair and dragging her.

He also sexually assaulted and raped the second victim on various occasions between 2010 and 2014. He was convicted of punching her and pulling her hair, as well as an incident where he pushed her down the stairs and strangled her by putting his arm around her neck.

He was sentenced to four years in prison at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday. Ahmed will also be supervised for two years after leaving prison and has been placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

During sentencing, Lord Doherty said he had ‘particular regard’ to the fact the sexual offences were committed when Ahmed was an ‘adolescent child’.

The judge said: ‘Had you been an adult at the time of all of these offences, the sentence I would have passed would have been more severe.

‘In light of your immaturity at the time of most of these offences, the sentence which I pass is an extended sentence of six years’ imprisonment, of which the custodial part is four years and the extension period is two years.’

Lord Doherty said Ahmed’s offences displayed a ‘sustained course of serious sexual abuse of the victims’, adding that his victims were ‘significantly younger’ than him.

He added it was clear from the evidence and victim impact statements that the offending had ‘significant consequences’ for the victims.

The judge noted a background report which highlighted Ahmed’s difficult childhood and mental health issues. He also acknowledged that Ahmed had no previous convictions.

Defence counsel Gareth Jones told the court Ahmed still denied committing the offences, but added: ‘I acknowledge serious harm was caused to both complainers.’

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