A man from Keighley, who had been sought since 2013 for historical sexual offences against a young girl, has been sentenced to prison.
Ahamed Al Arif Chowdhury, 26, previously of Victoria Avenue in Keighley, was apprehended upon his arrival on a flight from Bangladesh to the UK in June of the previous year. He faced charges related to 13 historic child sex offences.
These incidents took place in Keighley between 2011 and 2012 and involved a single victim who was only 13 years old at the time of the initial offence.
On 1st June, at Bradford Crown Court, he was found guilty on all counts. Today, on Thursday 7th September, he received an 8-year prison sentence at Bradford Crown Court. In 2015, as part of this investigation, twelve men were sentenced to a total of over 140 years in prison.
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Superintendent Nicola Bryar of West Yorkshire Police said:
“This has been a painstaking investigation, culminating in years of work and we are so pleased to see Chowdhury sentenced for these terrible crimes against a vulnerable young girl.
“I would like to praise the victim for her outstanding courage in coming forward and staying with this prosecution after so many years. She had to endure one trial a number of years ago and due to Chowdhury fleeing the country before he was charged, she has now had to endure another. I do hope that today’s sentence will give her some closure and help her to continue rebuilding her life.
“Child Sexual Exploitation remains a top priority for West Yorkshire Police and we are committed to identifying individuals who are responsible for this abhorrent crime and bring them to justice.
“Through working with our partners we are committed to doing everything we can to ensure children are safe and protected from harm.
“We hope that this case will encourage others who may have been victims of child sexual exploitation no matter how long ago, to come forward and report it. We will listen to you and investigate all offences and make sure you have access to any help and support you need.”
