Repeatedly sexually assaulted two younger girls.

A child rapist who began abusing girls when he was just 12 years old has received a reduced prison sentence due to his claimed "immaturity" at the time of the attacks.

Mohammed Ahmed, now 24, repeatedly sexually assaulted two younger girls in Edinburgh. Police were called to his former home after he indicated suicidal thoughts. During the investigation, officers discovered a confrontation involving Ahmed and a victim, where he was accused of rape.

The sex offender, residing on Mayfield Road in Edinburgh, denied a series of charges during an earlier trial but was found guilty of five offenses involving two girls. He was convicted of sexually assaulting and raping one girl when she was nine in December 2010.

The High Court in Edinburgh also found him guilty of assaulting the same girl by punching, grabbing her hair, and dragging her. Additionally, Ahmed was convicted of sexually assaulting and raping a second girl on multiple occasions between 2010 and 2014. These assaults included physical violence, such as punching, pulling hair, pushing her down stairs, and strangling her by putting his arm around her neck, according to reports from Edinburgh Live.

Judge Lord Doherty acknowledged Ahmed's difficult childhood and mental health struggles. He stated, "Had you been an adult at the time of all of these offenses, the sentence I would have passed would have been more severe. In light of your immaturity at the time of most of these offenses, 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."

This means Ahmed will spend four years in prison followed by two years on license.

Defense attorney Gareth Jones KC argued that Ahmed continues to deny the offenses and has not committed any further crimes since his attacks between the ages of 12 and 15. While acknowledging the "serious harm" caused, he argued that due to Ahmed's young age at the time of the offenses and currently, the sentencing guidelines for young persons should apply in this case.