Man jailed for 14 years for historic child sexual offences in Calderdale

Parvaiz Akhtar, aged 61, appeared at Bradford Crown Court yesterday, (15 April), where he was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

The abuse started when the survivor was a child - her earliest account was aged five and lasted until she was around 15 years old.

Thirty years later, in May 2023, she bravely came forward to report the abuse she suffered as a child to a third party.

Officers from the Calderdale District Safeguarding Team launched an investigation following the report and enquiries to find Akhtar suggested he was out of the country.

Upon returning to the UK, he was arrested in April 2024 and subsequently charged with 12 offences including three counts of rape and nine counts of sexual assault on a child.

Akhtar denied 10 of the 12 charges. He gave a guilty plea to one count of sexual assault and one count of rape.

A five-day trial took place at Bradford Crown Court in February this year for the remaining 10 charges where the jury returned an unanimous guilty verdict on all charges.

In addition to the 14-year custodial sentence, he will also be required to sign the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

In the survivor’s own words, she said: "Parvaiz Akhtar's grooming and sexual abuse stole my childhood and dignity, causing decades of self-hatred and isolation that has left a devastating impact on my life including my relationships, my family and my cultural identity. His manipulative actions left me deeply traumatised.

"After over 30 years of silent suffering, I've finally found my voice and I am reclaiming my life, knowing the shame belongs to him. For any survivor, especially those from ethnic minority backgrounds, who face additional barriers, please know it's never too late to speak out. Your story matters, and support is available to help you heal and reclaim your life."

Detective Constable Kerry Burhouse of Calderdale District Safeguarding Team, who led the investigation, said: "We know the sentence handed to Akhtar today is a result of the immense bravery and courage of the survivor to report the abuse she suffered and to then go on to relive those traumatic experiences during the criminal justice process. I commend her for doing so.

“The strength it takes to speak up and report offending of this nature cannot be underestimated. She was a young child when this started and was exploited by a predatory male through no fault of her own.

“I hope it brings some reassurance that he is now behind bars but also highlights that, no matter the length of time passed, we will always do what we can to investigate and bring these offenders to justice. I also hope this will encourage others who may have suffered similar experiences to come forward and report them to us.

“When you report these crimes, you will be listened to, you will be believed, and we will do all we can to hold these dangerous perpetrators accountable for their actions”.

If someone has sexually assaulted you, help is available. Police have specially trained officers who can provide support and investigate these types of offences. You can find out more information on their website.