Man Jailed for Sexual Activity with Underage Girl in South Yorkshire

A 38-year-old man, Mohammed Qasim, from Bradford, has been sentenced to four years in prison by Sheffield Crown Court for engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl in the back of a van.

Qasim, who admitted to the crime, threatened to kill the girl, who is from Barnsley and cannot be named for legal reasons, if she told anyone about the incident. He also offered her gifts to keep her quiet.

The investigation, conducted by South Yorkshire Police, involved meticulous forensic work and the brave testimony of the victim. The sentencing took place on Wednesday, April 17, following a lengthy investigation.

Det Cons Rosie O'Grady, from Barnsley's Protecting Vulnerable People (PVP) team, said: "This sentence follows meticulous work from our officers who strived to bring a child sexual offender to justice. Exemplary forensic work helped to secure justice but ultimately, this conviction wouldn't have been secured had it not been for the brave testimony of Qasim's vulnerable victim."

"I want to commend the girl and her family for their courage in coming forward to tell us about what happened, and I hope the passing of this sentence gives them some sense of closure."