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A rapist who attacked two girls when he was a boy has been handed a lighter prison sentence due to his age and “immaturity” at the time of his offences.

Mohammed Ahmed was 12 years old when he attacked two younger girls, subjecting them to rape and violence.

His victims were both aged nine when the abuse began, the High Court in Edinburgh heard.

Ahmed was caught years later after being confronted by one of his victims.

During an earlier trial, Ahmed admitted that it was he who initially contacted police following the confrontation, and intimated he wanted to take his own life due to the allegations against him.

Ahmed, now 24, had denied a series of charges but was found guilty of five offences involving the girls.

He was jailed for four years on Monday. He will also be supervised for two years upon his release from prison and has been placed on the sex offenders’ register for an indefinite period.

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Lord Doherty said he had “particular regard” to the fact the sexual offences were committed when Ahmed was an “adolescent child”.

The judge said: “Had you been an adult at the time of all of these offences, the sentence I would have passed would have been more severe.

“In light of your immaturity at the time of most of these offences, 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.”

New guidelines for sentencing under-25s came into effect in Scotland in January 2022.

The Scottish Sentencing Council recommended a more “individualistic approach” to take account of the perpetrator’s life experiences.

The changes were made to help reduce reoffending by focusing on rehabilitation rather than punishment.

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Ahmed attacked his victims at an address in Edinburgh.

He sexually assaulted and raped one girl when she was aged nine in December 2010. He was also convicted of assaulting her by punching her, grabbing her by the hair and dragging her.

Ahmed also sexually assaulted and raped a second girl on various occasions between 2010 and 2014.

His physical assaults went on for a longer period. He was convicted of punching her and pulling her hair, and on one occasion he pushed her down stairs and throttled her by putting his arm around her neck, endangering her life.

Lord Doherty said Ahmed’s offences displayed a “sustained course of serious sexual abuse of the victims”.

He said: “The victims were significantly younger than you.”

The judge added that it was clear from the evidence and victim impact statements that the offending had “significant consequences” for them.

Lord Doherty noted a background report which highlighted Ahmed’s difficult childhood and mental health issues. He also acknowledged that Ahmed had no previous convictions.

Defence counsel Gareth Jones told the court that Ahmed continued to deny committing the offences, but added: “I acknowledge serious harm was caused to both complainers.”

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Manhunt after five people stabbed at event in southeast London

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Manhunt after five people stabbed at event in southeast London

A manhunt has been launched after five people were stabbed at an event in southeast London, police have said.

Officers were called to Nathan Way, Thamesmead, at 4.19am on Saturday, the Metropolitan Police said.

Five people were found with stab wounds and were taken to hospital where their injuries are still being assessed.

No arrests have been made.

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“Enquiries are ongoing and a cordon will remain in place throughout the day,” a Met Police statement said.

Police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

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Three Iranians charged under National Security Act after investigation by UK counter-terror police

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Three Iranians charged under National Security Act after investigation by UK counter-terror police

Three Iranian men have been charged with offences under the National Security Act in the UK, police have said.

The trio have been charged with engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service between 14 August 2024 and 16 February 2025, following an investigation by counter-terror police.

The Metropolitan Police said the three men are Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55.

The foreign state to which the charges relate is Iran, police said.

All three men will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Saturday, the force added.

Sepahvand, of St John’s Wood, London, has also been charged with “surveillance, reconnaissance and open-source research” with the intention of “committing serious violence against a person in the UK”, according to a police statement.

Meanwhile, Manesh, of Kensal Rise, London, and Noori, of Ealing, London, have also been charged with “engaging in conduct, namely surveillance and reconnaissance, with the intention that acts, namely serious violence against a person in the UK, would be committed by others”.

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Commander Dominic Murphy, from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, described the charges as “extremely serious”.

“Since the men were arrested two weeks ago, detectives have been working around the clock and we have worked closely with colleagues in the Crown Prosecution Service to reach this point,” he said.

“Now that these men have been charged, I would urge people not to speculate about this case, so that the criminal justice process can run its course.”

A fourth Iranian national aged 31 who was arrested was released with no further action on Thursday.

In a separate unrelated probe, counter-terror officers arrested five Iranian men, aged between 29 and 46, during raids across various locations in Greater Manchester, London, and Swindon earlier this month.

Last October, MI5 director general Ken McCallum said the UK intelligence agency had responded to 20 “potentially lethal” Iran-backed plots since 2022, warning of the risk of an “increase or broadening of Iranian state aggression in the UK”.

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Two firefighters and one other person die after fire at former RAF base in Oxfordshire

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Two firefighters and one other person die after fire at former RAF base in Oxfordshire

Two firefighters and a member of the public have died in a large fire in Bicester, the fire service announced.

The firefighters died in the inferno at a former RAF base in Oxfordshire, which now hosts historic motoring and aviation centre Bicester Motion.

The local fire service was called to the scene at 6.39pm last night.

Chief Fire Officer Rob MacDougall said: “It is with a very heavy heart that we today report the loss of two of our firefighters. Families have been informed and are being supported.

“Our thoughts are with them at this most difficult of times and we ask for privacy to be respected.

“We cannot release any details at present but will provide further information as soon as we can.”

Two other firefighters sustained serious injuries and are currently being treated in hospital, Oxfordshire County Council said in a statement.

Footage shared on social media shows plumes of smoke billowing into the sky and flames swallowing the large building.

Clouds of smoke from the fire were billowing into the sky last night. Pic:@kajer87X
Image:
Clouds of smoke from the fire were billowing into the sky last night. Pic:@kajer87X

Damaged buildings following a fire at Bicester Motion, the site of a former RAF base which is home to more than 50 specialist businesses focused on classic car restoration and engineering in Oxfordshire, where a large fire broke out on Thursday, with witnesses reporting loud explosions and thick black smoke billowing from the site. Picture date: Friday May 16, 2025.
Image:
Two firefighters and one other person died in the fire, while two more firefighters were seriously injured. Pic: PA

Ten fire crews attended the incident, with four remaining at the scene. The fire is still ongoing, but it is considered under control.

Local residents were advised to remain indoors and keep their windows shut, but this advice has now been lifted.

Bicester Motion said in a statement it would be closed today and over the weekend.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

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