In 2020, the Offender Database recorded that 41-year-old Mohammed Salihi—of Brighton Road, Alvaston, Derby—avoided a prison sentence after being caught with child abuse images and “disturbing” films featuring animals. Salihi appeared at Derby Crown Court following a police raid on 23 April 2019, where two mobile phones were seized. It was reported that the investigation established Salihi had received indecent images of two young boys, one aged between four and six, via the messaging platform WhatsApp.
The investigation established that Salihi attempted to justify his possession of the material by claiming to probation officers that such images were “common” in his home country of Iraq. The prosecution reported that Judge Jonathan Bennett explicitly rejected this explanation, describing the films involving real people and animals as “extremely unpleasant and disturbing.” Derby Crown Court heard that Salihi had a previous custodial conviction for possessing fraudulent identity documents dating back over a decade.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that the digital forensic analysis of Salihi’s phones confirmed the receipt of three specific images from another individual. The investigation established that despite his previous prison sentence, the court opted for a community-based disposal to address his behaviour. The prosecution reported that Salihi pleaded guilty to possession of indecent images of children and possession of extreme pornographic images, leading the judge to focus on “rehabilitative requirements” rather than immediate incarceration.
Judge-led proceedings at Derby Crown Court concluded with Salihi being handed an 18-month community order. For his actions in Alvaston and the wider digital space, he was ordered to attend 30 rehabilitation sessions and pay £750 in prosecution costs. The judge also imposed a three-month curfew, confining Salihi to his home between 8.30pm and 6am, and placed him on the sex offenders register and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), both for five years.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the records reported in Derbyshire, the status of Mohammed Salihi as of April 8, 2026, was as follows:
- Custodial Status: NON-CUSTODIAL (Completed 18-month community order; sentenced 2020; order expired 2022).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were active until late 2025 (Successfully completed 5-year period).
- SHPO Status: Subject to a 5-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (Expired circa 2025; included strict digital monitoring and device disclosure).
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barring List (Indefinite ban on working with children).
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Possession of indecent images of children; Possession of extreme pornographic images).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Derby Crown Court; investigated by Derbyshire Constabulary.
- Criminal Record: Possessed images of boys aged 4-6; Owned extreme bestiality films; Claimed “cultural norms” justified possession of abuse material.
- Origin: Brighton Road, Alvaston, Derby (Originally from Iraq).
Monitoring and Public Protection
Salihi was managed as a registered sex offender within the Alvaston area for the duration of his formal notification period. Due to the nature of his conduct—specifically his “possession of extreme animal abuse” and his “dismissive attitude” toward the illegality of child imagery—his management was a priority for the Derbyshire Constabulary Public Protection Unit. Authorities state that his attempt to normalise the distribution of such material identified him as an individual whose understanding of UK child protection laws required significant statutory intervention.
As a convicted sex offender, the 47-year-old’s details were logged on the national police database following his 2020 sentencing. Authorities state that while his initial community order and register period have concluded, his indefinite placement on the barring list ensures he remains legally prohibited from child-centric employment. Any further reports of digital offending, any failure to disclose hardware while under the SHPO, or any unauthorised proximity to children will result in immediate arrest to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from a man who demonstrated a persistent interest in the consumption of illegal imagery.
QUESTION – Given that the offender claimed the distribution of child abuse material was “common” in his home country to justify his actions, do you believe that “Cultural Justification” should be treated as an aggravating factor that triggers an automatic prison sentence?
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