Former teacher posed as teen boy online to groom and sexually assault girls

Former teacher posed as teen boy online to groom and sexually assault girls Syed Shahreear Ahmed, 37, posed as a teenage boy to target girls as young as 13 on social media, grooming some online and arranging to meet others in person before raping or sexually abusing them A former maths teacher who was jailed for a string of child sex offences will spend another 10 years behind bars after he was caught using fake online personas to groom girls as young as 13. Syed Shahreear Ahmed, 37, posed as a teenage boy to target his young victims on social media, grooming some online and arranging to meet others in person before raping or sexually abusing them. Ahmed has been convicted of a total of 56 child sexual abuse offences relating to 18 victims, including 10 counts of rape. He was jailed for 25 years on Thursday with an extended period to serve on license of eight years following a second trial at Southwark Crown Court. The previous trial heard that one 14-year-old girl had jumped from Ahmed's moving car after becoming terrified by his behaviour. Further investigations by the Met Police uncovered 12 further victims and offences hidden within hundreds of gigabytes of digital evidence seized from Ahmed's mobile phones. Officers believe there may be even more victims and have urged anyone who had contact with Ahmed to come forward. Ahmed, of Mossford Lane, Barkingside, targeted his victims through popular social media apps using altered photographs of himself to groom girls aged between 13 and 16. He was convicted of 37 child sexual abuse offences, including rape, sexual assault, sexual communication with a child, meeting a child following sexual grooming, child sexual exploitation and offences relating to indecent images of children. These convictions came after an earlier trial in 2025, where he was found guilty of 14 child sexual abuse offences, alongside previous guilty pleas for offences relating to indecent images of children. In total, Ahmed has now been convicted of 56 child sexual abuse offences, relating to 18 victims. Detective Chief Inspector Brian Kelleher, from the Met's Specialist Crime Command, said Ahmed was a "manipulative and prolific sexual predator" who spent years "creating fake online personas" to gain the trust of children before going on to exploit them. "Many offenders may believe that once they have been convicted our work stops," Detective Kelleher said. "This case shows that is simply not true. "Detectives continued to scrutinise digital evidence, pursuing every line of enquiry and identifying further victims who had been targeted, groomed and abused." Detective Kelleher has since warned parents that people online may not always be who they claim to be. "I would urge them to talk openly with their children about who they are communicating with online and to encourage them to speak to someone they trust if an interaction makes them feel uncomfortable or concerned," he said. "The bravery shown by the victims in this investigation has been extraordinary and it is thanks to them that we have been able to build a comprehensive picture of Ahmed's offending. "We believe there may be other victims who have not yet spoken to police. If you have had contact with Ahmed or believe you may have information that could assist our investigation, please come forward. You will be supported by specialist officers and treated with sensitivity and care throughout." During the first trial, the court heard how Ahmed's offending first came to light in May 2023 after two teenage girls independently reported concerns to police. One 14-year-old girl jumped from Ahmed's moving car after becoming terrified by his behaviour. Her report, alongside information from another victim, led officers to begin piecing together a pattern of offending that stretched across multiple counties. Detectives seized two mobile phones following Ahmed's arrest and examined digital material, eventually finding seven victims and uncovering offending dating back to 2019. The Met's Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (OCSAE) team continued analysing evidence long after Ahmed's initial arrest. Claire Brinton, Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service said: "Syed Ahmed pretended to be a teenage boy to target his young victims via social media platforms, where he groomed and exploited them for his sexual gratification "Some of his sexual abuse took place online, but he also arranged to meet some of his victims so that he could commit further sexual offences, including rape. All of his victims were under 18 years of age, some as young as 14. His predatory behaviour is all the more shocking because he was a teacher who had been trained in safeguarding children. "We know that sexual abuse can have a devastating impact. I hope that the sentence imposed brings some comfort to Ahmed’s victims This sentence sends a clear message that the CPS will pursue justice and prosecute those who sexually exploit children both in person and online "I encourage any victims of child sexual abuse and sexual violence to report the crimes committed against them to the police. You are not alone and there is always help available." Full list of 56 offences - Seven counts of rape of a girl under 16 - Six counts of sexual assault - Three counts of meeting a child following sexual grooming - Six counts of sexual communication with a child - Four counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity - One count of causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child - One count of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence - One count of blackmail - One count of taking an indecent image of a child - Seven counts of making indecent images of a child These convictions followed an earlier trial, which took place between May and July 2025, where Ahmed was found guilty of: - Three counts of rape of a child - Three counts of sexual assault - One count of attempted sexual assault - Two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity - Five counts of meeting a child following sexual grooming - Ahmed had previously pleaded guilty to: - One count of taking an indecent image of a child - Four counts of making indecent images of children Detectives continue to appeal for anyone who may have had contact with Ahmed, or who believes they may have been affected by his offending, to contact police. Reports can be made online or via 101. In an emergency, always call 999. Anyone affected by this case can also seek support through Rape Crisis England & Wales' 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line on 0808 500 2222.