A shamed hero welcomed to the UK after his work with the security forces in Afghanistan was caught trying to have online sex chat with an underage girl.
Haseenbullah Rahimi earned the right to remain in Britain indefinitely due to his service in Helmand Province and has references about his "exemplary" character. But on February 13 he tried to get a 14-year-old girl to perform a sex act on herself during a Facebook exchange.
Fortunately, the "girl", who called herself Megan and said she lived in Durham, was a fake profile set up by a decoy and no real child was involved. Prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw told the court Rahimi had said a the start of the chat "I'm not allowed to talk to a 14-year-old" but continued the conversation anyway.
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Newcastle Crown Court heard Rahimi asked if the girl would be receiving any Valentine's Day gifts, enquired if she had a boyfriend and when the teen said she had no sexual experience, Rahimi called her a "virgin angel". Mr Wardlaw added: "He said he knew he could get arrested for chatting to her in the way that he was."
Rahimi then continued to compliment the girl and gave her graphic instructions, backed up by a pornographic image of an adult woman, of how to perform a sex act on herself. He then left the conversation.
Rahimi, 30, of Tumulus Avenue, Newcastle, admitted attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation requirements. Rahimi has to sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.
Recorder Simon Kealey QC told him: "You have demonstrated previous not only good character but exemplary character. I have read all the references that have been submitted on your behalf. You have performed a very great service or this country and the soldiers who were serving in Afghanistan and you deserve a significant degree of credit in respect of that."
Kate Barnes, defending, told the court: "He had dedicated his adult life to working with the security forces in Helmand Province. That earned him the right to come to this country and remain indefinitely in 2014." Miss Barnes said as a result of his life in Afghanistan, Rahimi has mental health difficulties. She added he is "deeply ashamed" of what he did during the one conversation and has no previous convictions.
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