Search results for Sandwell

Description

Three men who preyed on a student have been sentenced to a total of more than 20 years. 

• Arjan Purewal
• Jaskaran Thandi
• Hassan Jangheer

Jaskaran Thandi, 23, of HMP Hewell, Redditch, was sentenced to six years and four months for aiding and abetting rape and two years concurrently for sexual assault. 

Arjan Purewal, 23, of Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury, West Midlands was convicted of rape, blackmail, perverting the course of justice and possession of an identification document with improper intention following a trial in March 2025. 

On Friday 9 October, at Worcester Crown Court, Purewal was sentenced to seven years and six months for rape, one year concurrent for blackmail, one year consecutively for perverting the course of justice and a further eight months concurrently for the possession of an identification document – a total of eight years and six months. 

Further charges of conspiracy to rape a female and sexual assault on a female were ordered to lie on file. Purewall must also sign the sex offenders register for life. 

Hassan Jangheer, 23, of Grenville Drive, Smethwick, West Midlands, was sentenced to six years for aiding and abetting rape and two years concurrently for sexual assault 

All three were ordered to pay victim surcharges of £228.

West Mercia Police were called to reports of a stranger rape on Vine Lane in Clent on Saturday 16 September 2023 at around 3.30am. 

The victim reported she had been orally raped and then dumped in the middle of nowhere, stating the perpetrators were in a silver-grey BMW car. 

The three picked her up in Birmingham and drove up and down Broad Street before heading to Clent Hills near Hagley. 

Purewal orally raped the woman before Jangheer forced her to perform a sexual act on him and Thandi sexually assaulted her. Purewal filmed the appalling assault on his mobile phone. 

It is also believed Purewal had hired the BMW – using someone else’s driving licence and ID documents – to target a victim and carry out the rape. 

The survivor has been given appropriate help and support following the ordeal. 

Detective Inspector Warren Matthews said:

“We welcome the result achieved at court. 

“The behaviour of the perpetrators was appalling, and it is right that they are now behind bars. Their vile and predatory actions caused significant harm to the survivor, but we hope the sentencing helps on her path to recovery. 

“I also hope this outcome provides reassurance to victims and survivors that when they come forward, they will be heard. 

“We treat all reports seriously, investigate them thoroughly, and remain committed to bringing offenders to justice while supporting those affected throughout the process." 

Description

Three men who preyed on a student have been sentenced to a total of more than 20 years. 

• Arjan Purewal
• Jaskaran Thandi
• Hassan Jangheer

Arjan Purewal, 23, of Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury, West Midlands was convicted of rape, blackmail, perverting the course of justice and possession of an identification document with improper intention following a trial in March 2025. 

On Friday 9 October, at Worcester Crown Court, Purewal was sentenced to seven years and six months for rape, one year concurrent for blackmail, one year consecutively for perverting the course of justice and a further eight months concurrently for the possession of an identification document – a total of eight years and six months. 

Further charges of conspiracy to rape a female and sexual assault on a female were ordered to lie on file. Purewall must also sign the sex offenders register for life. 

Jaskaran Thandi, 23, of HMP Hewell, Redditch, was sentenced to six years and four months for aiding and abetting rape and two years concurrently for sexual assault. 

Hassan Jangheer, 23, of Grenville Drive, Smethwick, West Midlands, was sentenced to six years for aiding and abetting rape and two years concurrently for sexual assault 

All three were ordered to pay victim surcharges of £228.

West Mercia Police were called to reports of a stranger rape on Vine Lane in Clent on Saturday 16 September 2023 at around 3.30am. 

The victim reported she had been orally raped and then dumped in the middle of nowhere, stating the perpetrators were in a silver-grey BMW car. 

The three picked her up in Birmingham and drove up and down Broad Street before heading to Clent Hills near Hagley. 

Purewal orally raped the woman before Jangheer forced her to perform a sexual act on him and Thandi sexually assaulted her. Purewal filmed the appalling assault on his mobile phone. 

It is also believed Purewal had hired the BMW – using someone else’s driving licence and ID documents – to target a victim and carry out the rape. 

The survivor has been given appropriate help and support following the ordeal. 

Detective Inspector Warren Matthews said:

“We welcome the result achieved at court. 

“The behaviour of the perpetrators was appalling, and it is right that they are now behind bars. Their vile and predatory actions caused significant harm to the survivor, but we hope the sentencing helps on her path to recovery. 

“I also hope this outcome provides reassurance to victims and survivors that when they come forward, they will be heard. 

“We treat all reports seriously, investigate them thoroughly, and remain committed to bringing offenders to justice while supporting those affected throughout the process." 

Description

An Oldbury man has been jailed for more than 17 years after coercing young girls into sending indecent images.

Arun Wilding contacted several girls, all under 16 years of age, on social media and blackmailed them into sending indecent images.

His offending started in December 2024 and lasted until December 2025.

The 22-year-old would like and comment on girls’ social media posts before messaging them privately. The conversation would then move to another social media platform where he would ask the girls to send images of themselves.

If they stopped responding to him, he harassed and blackmailed them, threatening to share their images online until further images were provided.

Wilding found out which area or school the girls attended to frighten them into complying with his requests.

Earlier this year, Wilding of Highbury Road, Oldbury was charged with 16 offences including blackmail, engaging in sexual communication with a child, threatening to share a photograph of a person in an intimate state and causing a girl to engage in sexual activity.

He pleaded guilty to all offences at earlier hearing and on 1 September, at Wolverhampton Crown Court, he was sentenced to 17 years and nine months in prison.

He has also been handed a sexual harm prevention order which restricts his behaviour.

DC Elle Willows, from our Public Protection Unit, said:

“Wilding's behaviour was predatory and he exploited young people for his own gratification.

“I hope that this sentence brings some closure for all of those affected by Wilding’s actions, and that they can move forward with their lives.”

Description

In October 2023 a 20-year-old man was subjected to a serious sexual assault in a city park. Today (Wednesday 15 July) the perpetrator was jailed.

During the afternoon of 9 October, the victim was sitting on a bench in Abbey Park when he was approached by 43-year-old Islamuddin Talash.

The pair briefly spoke about bicycles, with Talash telling the victim he had one that he was willing to give him.

Talash then suggested they went to his flat so the victim could look at it. However, while they were walking through the park, Talash took the victim into a bush and raped him.

Shortly before the incident two teenage boys became suspicious of Talash and his behaviour. They were able to capture footage and an image of him on their phones.

The witnesses decided to keep an eye on them and approached the bushes. Talash ran away and they were able to safeguard the victim.

An officer working with the investigation team decided to walk through the park and on doing so saw a man fitting the description and image of the suspect sitting on a bench.

He was arrested in the park and following further enquiries and medical evidence he was charged with rape.

During a trial at Leicester Crown Court last month, Talash of Westfield Road in Smethwick, was found guilty of rape.

He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment and placed on the sex offender register indefinitely.

Detective Sergeant Sarah Jones was the officer in the case. She said:

“The actions of the witnesses on that day were crucial in this investigation, they did absolutely the right thing by acting on their suspicions.

“They, along with the victim, deserve enormous credit for giving an account in court that led to today’s outcome.

“The two boys were able to provide an image and footage which assisted officers in getting a positive identification. An officer who was working within our team took it on herself to do a walk-through the park and immediately spotted a man and recalled his similarities to the man in the image provided by the witnesses.

“He was arrested straight away and charged within hours. This outcome is a testament to the great work that went into the investigation and the strength of evidence secured this result.

“The victim was vulnerable, and the defendant used this for his own sexual gratification. We hope that this case reassures the local community and helps the victim put the events of that afternoon behind him.”

Description

A member of security staff who targeted a 14-year-old girl while on duty at a Worcestershire rail station has been jailed, following a British Transport Police (BTP) investigation.

Aamar Mohammed, 35, and of Shireland Road in Sandwell, was found guilty of two counts of Sexual Assault following a week-long trial.

At Worcester Crown Court on 12 January, a judge sentenced him to three years and eight months in prison.

He was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and will be on the sex offenders register for life.

On 14 November 2021, Mohammed approached the teenager at Worcester Shrub Hill railway station wearing a high-vis vest and asked where she was travelling to.

He walked her to the platform her train was due to arrive at before heading into an office at the station.

A short while later he asked her into that office as a warm place to go while she waited for her train. And as she approached, he turned the room’s lights off. 

Inside the office Mohammed forced himself upon the teenager and sexually assaulted her.

She managed to get away from him and return to the platform to board her train, and he then emerged from the office and waved at her as the service left the station.

The victim, who suffered bruising from the attack, reported Mohammed’s actions to her family who called the police.

He was arrested the same evening and an extensive investigation led by BTP detectives resulted in multiple charges being brought against him.

Specialist support was provided to the victim throughout the investigation and as the case progressed through courts. 

Mohammed failed to appear for a subsequent court hearing and had to be rearrested at his home address in March 2023.

BTP Detective Constable Tim Friend said:

“Aamar Mohammed used his trusted position as a station security guard to groom a teenage girl and subject her to a deplorable sexual assault. 

“His attack was so forceful that it left the victim with physical injuries, and will no doubt have a lasting impact on her psychologically. It is down to her bravery in reporting him to police, and determination to stick with the process as it progressed through the courts, that we have been able to bring a truly vile man to justice.

“We will stop at nothing to ensure sexual predators like Mohammed are removed from our communities and put behind bars where they belong.”

Description

A 74-year-old man who tried to meet up with a 14-year-old boy with a view to abusing him has been jailed for two and a half years after a National Crime Agency investigation.

NCA officers started an investigation into John Harrison, from Tipton in the West Midlands, after they identified he was exchanging indecent images of children on a social media platform.

He was arrested in February 2021 and had a number of devices seized before being released on bail.

While the NCA investigation was ongoing, new intelligence showed that Harrison was offending again, this time engaging with a 14-year-old boy on the same social media platform.

Officers found messages suggesting he was attempting to arrange sexual activity with the child. Indecent images of children in categories A to C were also discovered on his devices. Investigators found 482 Category A images, 960 Category B images and 2330 Category C images.

Harrison was arrested again and charged with offences including making indecent images of children, possession of prohibited or extreme images and arranging sexual activity with a child.

He pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court in March 2023. He was sentenced at the same court yesterday (26 June) to 30 months imprisonment.

Harrison was already on the sex offenders register after being convicted in 2014 for making and possessing indecent images of children.

Description

A man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for non-recent sex offences.

David Marshall, 62, of Twydale Avenue in Tividale in the West Midlands was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court on Friday 7 June.

He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and one year on extended license after he was found guilty of 15 counts of indecent assault on a male person.

Marshall will also be added to the sex offenders register until further notice.

Description

A West Midlands man who posted videos of himself raping and sexually assaulting a young boy online has been jailed for nearly 12 years.

Aiden Foster, 22, from Wednesbury, made a series of child sexual abuse videos which were shared on social media site Discord.

The National Crime Agency worked with US law enforcement agencies and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which led to Foster being identified.

Experts in the NCA’s victim identification team used facial comparison tools to confirm his identity.

Foster was arrested by NCA officers at his home address on 6 May this year.

His electronic devices were seized and NCA crime scene analysis investigators matched items at his address to those shown in the videos - including his jewellery, a distinctively patterned blanket and boxing trophies.

Officers recovered 771 indecent images of children across categories A-C (A being the most severe) from four of his devices.

They also found an Instagram chat in which Foster requested ‘horny pics of a 14-year-old’ from an unknown person and boasted that he could send videos of someone carrying out a sex act on him.

The children in this case have been safeguarded.

Foster pleaded guilty to 24 offences, including rape of a child under 13, at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 8 August.

He was sentenced to 11 years and seven months in prison, with a further four years on license, at the same court today (22 November).

He is also subject to a sexual harm prevention order and will remain on the sex offenders register for life.

NCA operations manager Holly Triggs said: “Aiden Foster is a dangerous offender who conducted the most horrific abuse against children.

“Chat logs showed he revelled in the ability to share material online – an act that will no doubt have contributed to the normalisation of such abuse among other paedophiles.

“The NCA is dedicated to combatting this global threat, working tirelessly to protect children and ensure that high harm offenders like Foster are put behind bars.”