Snapchat rapist jailed: Pizza ploy led to his arrest

A 41-year-old man from Birmingham, Abdul Kahar, has been convicted of rape and multiple sexual assaults after his 15-year-old victim bravely alerted police by feigning an order for a pizza. Kahar, of Anthony Road, Alum Rock, pleaded guilty to a catalogue of serious offences at Birmingham Crown Court, stemming from an attack that occurred following online grooming. The case highlights both the ingenuity of a vulnerable survivor and the critical presence of mind demonstrated by a police call handler.

Kahar appeared before the court on 1 December, admitting to two charges of raping a female under 16, four charges of sexually assaulting a female over 13, one charge of non-fatal intentional strangulation, and breach of a sexual harm prevention order. He has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to return to court on 9 February for sentencing.

The court heard that Kahar had initiated contact with the girl on the social media platform Snapchat in June of this year, falsely presenting himself as a 17-year-old boy named 'Jay'. This period of grooming culminated on the afternoon of 28 July, when the victim agreed to meet him. Kahar picked her up in his vehicle and proceeded to give her alcohol before raping and sexually assaulting her inside the car.

In a remarkable act of courage, the victim, while still in the vehicle, remembered a viral TikTok video where another sexual assault survivor had covertly contacted emergency services by asking to "order a pizza." She enacted this distress signal, phoning the police and requesting a pizza. The police call handler, with exceptional foresight, immediately grasped the nature of the urgent call for help from a vulnerable individual in danger. Adopting a quick-thinking approach, the handler utilised 'yes' or 'no' questions to ascertain the girl's predicament, to which she confirmed she was in danger with a simple "yeah."

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This swift and perceptive action allowed officers to be dispatched rapidly. The girl was able to convey a location, and she was subsequently found and safeguarded by the roadside in Druids Heath. Crucially, the victim provided a strong and detailed description of her attacker’s vehicle and its registration, enabling officers to swiftly track Kahar to his home address where he was arrested.

Detective Constable Lauren Campbell, from the Complex Child Abuse Investigation Team, praised the fortitude of the victim and the vigilance of the call handler. The Complex Child Abuse Investigation Team is specially trained to handle such sensitive cases, offering support and guidance to survivors throughout the judicial process. It is pertinent to note that survivors of sexual assault are afforded life-long anonymity under law.