Teacher jailed for 10 years for grooming and abusing girls

Syed Ahmed, 38, from Redbridge, was working as a maths teacher in Essex at the time of the offences.

He targeted girls aged between 13 and 16, none of whom were his students, using social media platforms including Snapchat, Wizz, and Yubo, where he used a "false name, age, and highly-filtered self-image" to deceive them.

Ahmed was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court to 10 years in prison with a three-year extended licence period, following his conviction for rape, sexual assault, and other child sex offences.

Prosecutor Daniel O’Donoghue said Ahmed used a range of grooming tactics to gain his victims’ trust.

Mr O’Donoghue said: "He used a number of techniques to gain their trust including flattery, promise of gifts, flirtation interest in them, declarations of love and future relationships, sending images of other girls sat in his car, and skilfully moved the exchanges quickly on to sexual topics.

"In some cases, he asked for and received sexual images, and he persuaded five of the victims to meet him in person."

Ahmed met five of the girls in person, driving them to remote locations such as wooded areas, an unfurnished flat, and a summerhouse, where he carried out sexual acts.

He was convicted of three counts of rape, five counts of meeting a child following sexual grooming, two counts of assault by penetration, one count of causing a child to engage in sexual acts, and one count of attempted sexual assault.

These convictions followed a separate trial at Southwark Crown Court last year.

Mr O’Donoghue said: "Each of the (victims) was seeking a connection with someone they believed to be a young man. He was aware of that vulnerability and exploited it for his own sexual gratification."

He also highlighted Ahmed’s professional responsibility as a teacher, noting that he had received "repeated safeguarding training" and that his "job was to protect young persons from harm."

Victim impact statements read in court revealed the emotional and psychological harm caused by Ahmed’s actions.

One girl said she felt "relieved" by the outcome of the trial.

She said: "Because I now know there’s nothing he could do to me. Before this, I was terrified he would find me."

She described herself as now being "reserved and anxious" and "always expecting the worst from people."

Another victim said she trusted "Miles"—one of the names Ahmed used—and believed he was who he claimed to be.

She said: "I was worried about what Miles would do because he said he would come to my house."

Aqsa Hussain, defending, told the court that Ahmed had turned to dating apps and social media because he struggled with adult relationships.

Ms Hussain said: "It was a pathetic attempt on his part to find connection and validation."

She said Ahmed had been a teacher for around 10 years and that there had been no prior complaints or allegations of misconduct during his career.

Ahmed pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including sexual communication with a child, meeting a child following sexual grooming, taking and making indecent images, causing or inciting sexual activity, and arranging the commission of a child sex offence.

He denied but was convicted of further charges, including sexual assault, rape, blackmail, and additional counts of grooming and inciting sexual activity.

Ahmed resigned from his teaching position following his arrest in May 2023.