A Middlesbrough actor who appeared in the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks has been convicted of raping two women and assaulting a child in separate incidents spanning several years.
Rizwan Khan, 40, was found guilty at Teesside Crown Court on Friday of two counts of rape, one count of sexual assault, and causing unnecessary suffering to a child by slapping them across the face.
The father-of-one was cleared of four other rape charges against the same two women after the jury deliberated for less than three hours.
Khan, known as “Riz” in the industry, appeared in Hollyoaks as Doctor Peak in 2019 and returned as a paramedic in 2020. He also had roles in the film Everybody’s Talking About Jamie in 2021, ITV detective drama Vera, and the BBC series This England, as well as an episode of Holby City.
The court heard harrowing evidence from his first victim, who testified that Khan physically assaulted her before raping her. Prosecutor Robin Turton told the jury that Khan had allegedly told this victim: “I need what I need. I want what I want. You, as a woman, should abide by what a man wants.”
The woman described how Khan slapped her in the face, punched her in the back, picked her up and threw her on a bed. “He forced himself up on her. She kicked him and he got off. He pushed her against the wall and he put his hands around her, strangling her,” Mr Turton said. The victim told police she eventually “just let him” rape her because she feared further assault if she continued to resist.
Khan’s second victim told the court she had fallen asleep and woken to find him performing a sex act on her. She testified that on another occasion, Khan removed her underwear whilst she slept at 3am. “I kept saying no. I had to be up in a few hours. He said: ‘Don’t leave a man like this.’ He just had sex with us. I laid there quiet,” she told the jury.
The victim explained she hadn’t initially reported Khan to police, telling the court: “I didn’t think it was rape. I didn’t fight him off. I thought rape was repeatedly saying ‘no’ and fighting them off. I didn’t repeatedly say ‘no’.” She said she later realised what Khan had done and contacted authorities.
In a separate incident, Khan was convicted of slapping a child across the face whilst looking after them as a favour. Another person later told police they had “heard a slapping noise and crying” and that the child had been left with a red mark on their forehead.
During his evidence, Khan denied all the charges, claiming the sexual encounters were consensual and that neither woman had said “no” to sex with him. When arrested, he told the court he was “disgusted” by the allegations and “couldn’t believe this was happening.
The actor, who lived on Union Street in central Middlesbrough, had transitioned from working in a call centre for a financial company in Stokesley to pursuing acting six years ago. During the trial, he described how his career had taken off, requiring him to travel regularly to London, Manchester and Leeds for television roles.
His IMDb profile painted a picture of a man dedicated to positive causes, stating he was “fervent about fitness” and claimed to help those with “mental health challenges” whilst providing support for “single fathers navigating the often complex family court system.
Ironically, the biography added: “Riz is also a staunch advocate for men who have been falsely accused, working tirelessly to bring attention to these injustices.”
The profile concluded: “Riz’s diverse pursuits reflect his unwavering commitment to personal growth, physical well-being, and making a positive impact on the lives of others.”
Character witness Kelly Rowe, a Teesside University lecturer who had known Khan since he was a child patient at the hospital where she worked as a paediatric nurse, described him as “lovely, caring, kind and approachable” and “professional” when speaking to nursing students about living with a long-term lung condition.
However, prosecutor Robin Turton challenged Khan’s credibility during cross-examination, stating: “You’re an actor – a very plausible one.”
Judge Paul Reid granted Khan conditional bail to remain at his home address overnight. He is due to be sentenced at Teesside Crown Court on 14 October.
The conviction comes as the entertainment industry continues to grapple with issues of sexual misconduct and abuse of power following the #MeToo movement. Khan’s case serves as another reminder that predatory behaviour can exist across all levels of the industry.
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