16/12/2024
A former sports coach at a school in Horsham has been sentenced for a child sex offence.
Ajaz Karim worked at Christ’s Hospital School between 1983 and 1993 and was jailed for 21 months on Friday (13 December) when appearing before Lewes Crown Court.
On 29 November he was found guilty of one count of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14.
Police received the report in November 2022 that Karim, 70, of Broadlove Lane, Greater London, abused a girl, who is now aged in her 40s, when she was 12 and 13.
Karim was asked to attend a voluntary interview and following a complex investigation, he was charged in December 2023.
Following a four-day trial, which began on 25 November at Lewes Crown Court, Karim was found guilty by the jury on one count of indecent assault on a girl.
The jury were unable to reach a verdict on the second count of indecent assault of a girl.
Detective Constable Rebecca Wilde, of Sussex Police’s Complex Abuse Unit, said: “Ajaz Karim abused the trust of his victim as a school coach.
“The victim has shown incredible bravery to assist with our investigation and to report the crimes committed against her.
“Ultimately, it was thanks to her courage that we were able to secure Karim’s jail sentence.
“If you or anyone you know is a victim of a sexual offence – no matter when it was – please report to the police.
“You will be heard, we will support you and we will do everything we can to get you justice.”
Report online, via 101 or call 999 in an emergency.
9 August 2018
A sports teacher at a private school has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for sexually abusing female students.
Ajaz Karim, 63, from Hammersmith, west London, was convicted of nine charges of indecent assault at Christ’s Hospital School in Horsham.
Hove Crown Court was told he abused six girls aged 14 to 18 between 1985 and 1993.
He was also found guilty at an earlier hearing of one count of attempted indecent assault.
He is one of a number of teaching staff at the West Sussex school who have been convicted of sexually abusing students.
Karim had claimed during the trial his relationship “with the girls and boys was one of friendship”.
But the court was told he gave one student a massage while she was virtually naked and pushed another against a wall and kissed her.
Judge Christine Henson said Karim displayed a “complete disregard” and “continued arrogance” towards his victims, adding: “I’m in no doubt that you used your popularity as a teacher to groom your victims.
“They should have been safe and secure, sadly they were not.
“You have betrayed everything a teacher should stand for.”
He left the school after complaints from four pupils surfaced between 1990 and 1993.
Senior staff came under fire from victims over the way they handled the allegations.
Teachers never reported him to the police and he was initially allowed to carry on working, even with the girls in question.
‘Hugely traumatic’
Reading a victim’s statement, Oliver Dunkin, prosecuting, said the victim was “deeply disappointed” with the school’s handling of the incidents, which made it “hugely traumatic”.
“For 32 years I have lived with the deeply buried memory of events that took place with Mr Karim,” the statement read.
“Until recently I believed the impact had been minimal and I got on and lived my life.”
An NSPCC spokeswoman said Karim displayed a “shocking breach of trust”.
She added: “We hope today’s sentencing provides some sort of closure for those cruelly targeted by Karim.”
Karim was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-45129488
- What’s In a Name
- Karim is a common given name and surname of Arabic origin The name is derived from the Arabic word “karīm” which means “kind generous”. It is also one of the Names of God in Islam in the Quran