Predator sexually assaulted woman at Sheffield's Meadowhall after meeting on internet dating website

Sheffield Crown Court heard on March 27 how Mohammed Rahman, aged 34, of Richmond Walk, Oldham, had been submitting false details with five accounts on a Muslim relationships and marital dating website called MuzMatch before arranging to meet the complainant and molesting her in her car at Meadowhall.

Judge Graham Robinson said an arrangement was originally made for the two parties to initially meet at a John Lewis store in Leeds and a subsequent meeting was arranged for them to meet at Meadowhall, on February 19, 2020.

He told Rahman: “The complainant drove herself to Meadowhall and parked in the car park knowing to it be lit but dark and dingy but whilst in the car you sexually assaulted her.”

Rahman placed his hands on the complainant’s breasts, started to kiss her face and put his tongue in her mouth and told her that he wanted to feel her bottom, according to Judge Robinson.

Prosecuting barrister James Baird said: “This was a prolonged, sustained attack on this lady while she was in her car. It was a sustained incident in her own car when she was, we would say, vulnerable.”

Judge Robinson said MuzMatch is expected to be a safe place for young Muslim people to meet but Rahman abused the rules using no less than five accounts with false details, including claims he was a doctor.

Rahman had persuaded the complainant to buy him expensive clothes and he had followed her to her car and got into the vehicle before assaulting her, according to Judge Robinson.

The defendant, who has previous convictions, was found guilty after a previous trial of sexually assaulting the complainant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Defence barrister Neil Sands said: “What takes place in the car in my respectful submission does not go on for a protracted period in the normal sense of the word though I accept it was not fleeting.”

Referring to a probation pre-sentence report, Mr Sands added: “The report shows a man who is deeply flawed but not beyond redemption and assistance who is perhaps emotionally and intellectually ill-equipped to deal with the societal pressures – not just in his society – but in the wider society and there are expectations that he should be married and successful.”

Mr Sands also said that during the last three years Rahman has kept out of trouble and he has not come to the attention of the authorities again for this kind of behaviour.

The complainant stated: “The psychological trauma has left me with permanent emotional scars. I suffer with nightmares and anxiety attacks.”

She added that Rahman had come across as kind and courteous and respectful and that she had no idea he was a predator and the sexual assault has had a serious and significant impact upon her relationships with family and friends.

The complainant, who has since married a supportive husband, also stated: “The sense of violation and being powerless had an impact on every aspect of my life and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. No one should have to go through what I have experienced.”

As Judge Robinson imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order upon Rahman he became visibly distressed in the dock as he clung a book to his chest and began gasping for breath. He had to be attended to by a security officer and his barrister before he recomposed himself.

Judge Robinson told Rahman he would be made subject to an SHPO for five years which included a ban from internet dating and relationship websites and from sharing untrue details about himself. He must make any internet device available to the authorities for examination upon any request.

As he sentenced Rahman to 12 months of custody suspended for two years, the defendant sighed loudly with relief, only for Judge Robinson to stress that he had not ‘got off’ with anything because he regarded him as a ‘predatory sex offender’ who poses a risk to women and who will be made subject to stringent sentencing conditions and monitoring.

Rahman was placed under the supervision of the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years. He must also complete a sex-offender programme and a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement.

He was also ordered to pay the complainant £700.

Judge Robinson also warned Rahman if he commits any further offences or breaches his suspended prison sentence in the next two years he will face going to prison.

A spokeswoman for Muzmatch, now called Muzz, said the app had core safety and security features including ID verification, the option to add a chaperone to chats, an all-female team on hand 24/7, profiles verified using selfies and SMS confirmation, and the option to blur photos.