A 20-year-old man from Burnley has been sentenced to six years and six months’ imprisonment at Preston Crown Court after filming himself raping a primary school-aged boy and downloading graphic child abuse material.
Ridwan Kasem, of Burnley, Lancashire, appeared for sentence before Judge Philip Parry following a joint enforcement operation involving the National Crime Agency and Lancashire Police.
The prosecution arose after the National Crime Agency flagged four Category A child abuse images uploaded to the social media network Snapchat in the early hours of 1 March 2025. Officers deployed to an address in Burnley, arrested Kasem, and confiscated an iPhone and a MacBook.
Prosecutor Richard Howarth told the court that digital forensic examinations of the seized phone uncovered four video files produced by Kasem documenting sexual offences against a boy aged under 13, including an act of rape carried out in January 2024. Although Kasem’s face was obscured during the filming, detectives positively identified him after linking a silver bracelet worn in the footage to everyday photographs stored in his personal gallery.
Examinations also established that Kasem possessed a library of illicit material depicting other children, comprising 39 downloaded Category A images, 25 Category B images, and 15 prohibited images. During police questioning, Kasem provided his device PIN but made no comment to subsequent inquiries.
Judge Philip Parry condemned Kasem’s actions, noting that the offences involved deliberate planning and preparation, while describing the downloaded material as being of the most graphic kind possible.
Under the provisions of Section 49 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992, all child victims and complainants connected to criminal proceedings are protected by automatic, lifelong statutory anonymity. Publishing, broadcasting, or disseminating any details, names, addresses, educational facilities, or photographs capable of leading to the public identification of protected individuals is strictly prohibited under UK law.
Kasem pleaded guilty to:
- Rape of a child under 13
- Taking indecent images of a child
- Making indecent images of a child
- Possessing prohibited images of a child
Passing sentence, Judge Philip Parry handed Kasem an immediate custodial term of six years and six months’ imprisonment.
Alongside the custodial sentence, the court ordered:
- A Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for a duration of 20 years
- Mandatory notification requirements on the Sex Offenders Register for life under the Sexual Offences Act 2003
- Formal post-custody licence supervision conditions upon release from prison
Image – Anonymous Artist Impression
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