A former imam who abused a young boy in a mosque’s attic in Nottingham 25 years ago has been jailed for five years
Mohammed Rabani, 61, was an imam at a mosque in Sneinton for more than 25 years when he started abusing his victim, who was aged 12 at the time.
The abuse continued between 1990 and 1992 but the victim did not report it to police until 2015
Rabani, from Sneinton, denied the charges but was found guilty of three counts of indecent assault following a trial
The victim’s impact statement said the actions of the spiritual leader were ‘beyond redemption’.
His moving statement said ‘people entrusted their children to him’ and ‘children trusted him’.
Rabani, a twice-married and respected imam, had claimed the allegations were made up because he opposed a family’s business plan to redevelop the mosque.
But following a trial at Nottingham Crown Court at the end of May, he was found guilty of three charges of indecent assault.
The victim, now married and a father, said Rabani targeted him as a child because he was not as confident as his younger brother.
Rabani was able to target him, not just because he was shy and lacking in confidence, but because he was in a position of trust within the community.
