Indian student jailed for 30 years for abusing 70 girls in UK

An Indian student has been sentenced to 30 years in prison in the UK for grooming, sexually exploiting and blackmailing 70 girls online, according to The Statesman.

Bilal Kazi, 27, was sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Friday (November 13) following a major investigation by Cheshire Constabulary.

The investigation began in 2021 after a 13-year-old girl reported that she had been communicating with Kazi on Snapchat, believing him to be a teenage boy. Police later identified 180 potential victims and confirmed 70 across 28 police force areas.

Kazi used social media and gaming platforms to gain children's trust, obtain explicit images and videos, and threaten to circulate them if they refused further demands, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.

He pleaded guilty to 37 charges in the Cheshire investigation. Eight additional offences investigated by West Midlands Police were also considered during sentencing. He will be eligible for parole after serving at least 20 years.

-AH