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Abdul Halim Khan was convicted of 21 counts of sex assault and rape. He told his victims he was possessed or disguised as a supernatural spirit while carrying out the attacks.
An imam who raped and sexually assaulted women and girls as young as 12 after telling them he had supernatural powers has been jailed for life.
Abdul Halim Khan, 54, of Old Ford Road, Bethnal Green, east London, used his position as a respected faith leader to abuse multiple women and girls between 2004 and 2015, the Metropolitan Police said.
In February he was convicted 21 counts including nine counts of rape, four of sexual assault, two of sexual assault of a child under 13, five of rape of a child under 13 and one count of assault by penetration.
At Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday, he was handed a life sentence and told he will serve a minimum of 20 years in jail.
Handing down sentence, Judge Leslie Cuthbert said that “behind a public appearance of propriety and holiness you took monstrous advantage of women who trusted you, all for your own sexual satisfaction”.
“You brazenly raped and sexually assaulted seven females – both children and young women,” she told Khan. “You behaved as if you were untouchable.
“You were confident that none of the victims, who came from the same community in which you were an imam, would overcome the potential shame and stigma they might sadly feel, or be exposed to, by reporting you.
