Mohamed Ali 44

Description

Convicted child sex offender jailed after masturbating in Mile End church foyer during toddler playgroup

A convicted child sex offender has been jailed after masturbating in the foyer of a church while a children’s playgroup was running nearby.

Mohamed Ali, 44, was sentenced to 15 months in prison at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to recklessly causing a public nuisance and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

The court heard Ali has 136 convictions dating back to 2000, including causing a child to engage in a sexual act.

On 26 February, a mother arriving for the first time with her one-year-old at Guardian Angels Church in Mile End entered through the main doors instead of the rear playgroup entrance. Prosecutor Sam Lyon said she saw a man and asked if it was the right way in. “The male replied, ‘I am a sex offender’, and the mother left straight away.”

She reported it to the church. CCTV later showed Ali in the foyer at 10.30am. “He was initially reading a newspaper before taking his penis out of his trousers and masturbating in the foyer of the church,” Mr Lyon said.

Ali was arrested months later after a police officer identified him. He pleaded guilty on the basis that he had not intended to be seen.

Appearing by videolink from prison, Ali told the court: “I never went to church to have a wank in front of children.”

Judge Leslie Cuthbert replied: “That is accepted, but there were children where you did chose to masturbate.”

Defence barrister Bethany Baggaley said Ali was remorseful, accepted the acts were unlawful, and had a traumatic childhood linked to long-term mental health problems.

Ali interrupted: “The state is responsible for my failure. I don’t know how to have a relationship. I don’t have kids. So I just sit in prison masturbating and then I get out and get nicked for masturbating. I’ve got no where to masturbate, I’m homeless.”

He also claimed, without evidence, that the mother who found him belonged to a vigilante paedophile-hunter group that followed him “24/7”.

Sentencing him, Judge Cuthbert said:

“This activity created the risk of very serious distress to members of the public, as shown by the reaction of the 1-year-old who on encountering you was so scared she left.”

The judge rejected Ali’s claimed remorse, saying it was contradicted by his attempts to shift blame. “You attempt to blame others include the system and the state, suggesting that you are being set up for your own criminal actions.”

He added: “The only thing that appears to stop you from committing further offences is prison, so I cannot suspend this sentence.”