A convicted paedophile who fled abroad in the middle of his trial for molesting a 13-year-old girl has been arrested at Manchester Airport and will now begin his five-and-a-half year prison sentence, Greater Manchester Police confirmed today.
Hassan Mahmood, 23, was detained last night after flying back to the UK from Istanbul, Turkey, ending a month-long international manhunt that saw the sex offender travel through Qatar and Turkey whilst authorities believed he could be hiding in Pakistan.
The “cowardly” predator had vanished on the second day of his four-day trial at Manchester Crown Court in August, fleeing the country on 16 July whilst on court bail. The trial continued in his absence, resulting in his conviction and sentencing on 7 August for sexually assaulting the schoolgirl.
Detective Constable Shaheen Saleh, from Greater Manchester Police’s Child Criminal Exploitation Team, said: “Mahmood cowardly left the country to evade punishment for his vile crimes, and I am glad he will now be behind bars where he belongs.”
International Flight to Evade Justice
Britannia Daily understands that Greater Manchester Police were tipped off about Mahmood’s return to the UK last night after he booked flight TK1995 from Istanbul to Manchester. Officers were waiting at the airport to detain him when he arrived on Monday evening.
The sex fiend had initially fled from Manchester to Doha, Qatar, before later heading to Turkey. At the time of his disappearance, authorities believed he could be hiding in Pakistan, where he had family connections. Judge John Potter had issued an arrest warrant whilst sentencing Mahmood in his absence, stating there was “no current knowledge” of his exact whereabouts or when he might return.
Mahmood, of Gigg Lane in Bury, was convicted of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a child, causing a child to watch sexual activity, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, and sexual communication with a child.
Grooming and Exploitation of Schoolgirl
During his trial, Manchester Crown Court heard disturbing details of how the sex offender had preyed on his victim, starting a “relationship” with her over the internet in January 2022 when she was just 13 years old and he was 20.
“At that time, you knew she was 13 and still a child,” Judge John Potter said during sentencing, addressing Mahmood as though he was in court. “You were 20 years of age. You knew she was a child because she told you on a chat.”
The court heard how Mahmood “sexually exploited” the teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, sending her “graphic images” and explicit messages over social media app Snapchat. The predator would also send her sexually explicit videos of himself carrying out sex acts.
Prosecutor Brian Williams told the court that messages between them became “sexualised” from February 2022. During FaceTime chats, Mahmood positioned his camera so the victim could see him performing a sex act.
Physical Abuse in Manchester Park
The exploitation escalated when Mahmood coaxed the vulnerable teenager into meeting him on several occasions. Judge Potter outlined how they met in person three times, with the most serious incident occurring in a park in Openshaw, Manchester.
During this meeting, Mahmood forced the girl to perform a sex act on him. On separate occasions, he “kissed and hugged” the victim in his father’s car, jurors were told.
His infatuation became so intense that Mahmood became “obsessed” with the schoolgirl, with the trial hearing how he confessed to his victim that he loved her.
The abuse came to light in May 2022 when the girl’s mother discovered the Snapchat messages on her daughter’s phone and immediately reported Mahmood to the police.
Threatening Letter from Jail
In a shocking development after his arrest, the court heard that Mahmood attempted to “intimidate” his victim from custody. He sent her what Judge Potter described as a “vile, disgusting, abusive and demeaning” letter in which he told the schoolgirl to kill herself for “snitching”.
“She was not intimidated by it,” Judge Potter noted during sentencing, adding that the letter was clearly designed to intimidate the victim.
Despite having no previous convictions, Mahmood’s actions throughout the case demonstrated a pattern of predatory behaviour and attempts to evade justice. When initially arrested, he made no comment to police and was subsequently released on bail pending further investigation.
Mental Health Claims and Sentencing
Gwen Henshaw, defending Mahmood during the trial, said the defendant had a history of mental health difficulties. However, this did not prevent Judge Potter from imposing a substantial custodial sentence.
The judge indicated there could be “other proceedings” against Mahmood for “making himself absent” from the trial, suggesting additional charges could follow for his flight from justice.
Mahmood is due to appear in court later today to begin the formalities of starting his prison sentence. The force confirmed he will now serve the five-and-a-half year term handed down in his absence.
Support for Victim Throughout Ordeal
Detective Constable Saleh emphasised that Greater Manchester Police had remained in contact with the victim throughout Mahmood’s time on the run, providing ongoing support to her and her family during this traumatic period.
“We are committed to locking up those responsible for child sexual offences, and we will always ensure that they are brought to justice, no matter where they try to hide,” Det Con Saleh added.
The detective praised the bravery of the victim and her family, noting: “We are unwavering in our commitment to protecting children and are offering our full support to the victim and their family during this time.”
The successful arrest marks the end of an extensive investigation by the Bury Complex Safeguarding Team and international law enforcement partners. Greater Manchester Police had launched an urgent manhunt after Mahmood fled, releasing his mugshot and appealing for public assistance in tracking him down.
The case serves as a stark warning that fleeing justice is futile, with Det Con Saleh stating that Mahmood had only been “prolonging the inevitable outcome” by attempting to escape abroad. The force’s determination to pursue child sex offenders regardless of where they flee sends a clear message about the priority placed on protecting vulnerable children.
Anyone with information about child sexual exploitation is urged to contact Greater Manchester Police online or via 101, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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