Sharam Muhamadi, 21, has been extradited from Switzerland and remanded at Sheffield Crown Court after being convicted in his absence of arranging travel for child sexual exploitation. Prosecutors say he helped Bawan Harwe, 28, contact girls as young as 12 on Snapchat; six of seven victims were given alcohol or drugs before being raped. Harwe received a 29-year sentence in June. Muhamadi entered the UK as an unaccompanied asylum seeker and will next appear in court on 3 September.
Convicted Child Sex Trafficker Extradited From Switzerland and Remanded at Sheffield Crown Court
Sharam Muhamadi was convicted of sexual offences in his absence [South Yorkshire Police]
A man convicted in his absence for facilitating the travel of vulnerable girls for sexual exploitation has been extradited from Switzerland and brought before Sheffield Crown Court.
Court Appearance and Background
Twenty-one-year-old Sharam Muhamadi was returned to the UK after Swiss authorities arrested him. Prosecutors say Muhamadi helped 28-year-old Bawan Harwe contact girls as young as 12 via the Snapchat app, passing victims to Harwe who then groomed, abused and raped them, a trial earlier this year heard.
Conviction In Absence and Extradition
Muhamadi stopped attending the trial in June and was subsequently convicted in his absence on two counts of arranging or facilitating another person's travel with a view to exploitation. A warrant for his arrest was issued and, after his extradition, he was remanded in custody at Wednesday's hearing. He is due to next appear at Sheffield Crown Court on 3 September.
Bawan Harwe was sentenced to 29 years imprisonment following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court [South Yorkshire Police]
How The Offences Were Committed
The court previously heard that Muhamadi and Harwe worked at convenience stores in Doncaster and shared a flat in Hexthorpe. Using fake names, they contacted girls aged between 12 and 16 on social media, offering drugs, e-cigarettes, money and taxi fares to persuade them to meet. Prosecutors said six of the seven victims were given alcohol and drugs before being raped by Harwe.
Sentencing And Immigration Details
At the same trial in June, Iraqi national Bawan Harwe, 28, was jailed for 29 years after being convicted of trafficking and repeated sexual offences against children. Muhamadi, who is originally from Iran, had entered the UK as an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child and was taken into the care of social services in Bradford. He claimed asylum in 2021 at age 16 and was granted leave to remain in 2022, with that status due for review in 2027.
“Nothing short of monstrous,” Border Security Minister Alex Norris said of the offending, adding the government would seek to deny refugee protections to convicted sex offenders and pursue deportation where possible.
South Yorkshire Police led the investigation and prosecutors presented detailed evidence at Sheffield Crown Court during the trial earlier this year.
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