Rafattullah Rustayee, 25, has now been locked up for sex offences
Stock photo of an iPhone
A paedophile who shared disturbing indecent images of children with other perverts in an online chatroom has been locked up.
Rafattullah Rustayee was caught with more than 800 pictures and videos of children as young as three being abused.
Police later discovered that the 25-year-old had been speaking to fellow paedophiles about their sexual interest in children and passing vile content on to them.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how police received intelligence that indecent images of children were being uploaded to the internet.
Officers executed a warrant at Rustayee’s home in October 2024, seizing an iPhone, iPad and iMac.
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Nothing was found on the iMac but 885 indecent images of children between three and 15 were found on the remaining devices.
It included almost three hours-worth of ‘moving’ sex abuse content.
Prosecutor Thomas Duggan told the court: “It became clear that the defendant has been distributing images online between November 20, 2023, and October 2, 2024.”
Rustayee used a Telegram account to share 59 indecent images with others in a forum.
The convict ‘actively searched’ for the illegal content, asking for BDSM, bondage and sadomasochism.
Mr Duggan said Rustayee also spoke to others online about their sexual interest in children.
Ammo Khanna, defending, said Rustayee – of Claverley Court, Vicarage Prospect, Dudley – is a ‘man of few words’.
Miss Khanna said: “He does not want to justify it, he knows he can’t. It is a mystery to him.
“There is no excuse for this behaviour.”
Rustayee ‘comes from a culture of stoicism’ and ‘shame in asking for help’ but he has an ‘early understanding that he has a problem’.
Miss Khanna added: “Anyone finding themselves in this position is bound to feel shame.”
Rustayee is also said to have told his barrister: “I would rather discuss this with a therapist or a police officer.”
The convict has been struggling with his mental health since his offending came to light and now ‘wants to seek help’, Miss Khanna added.
‘Remorseful’ Rustayee ‘wants to make a change’
The court heard how Rustayee has had a ‘difficult life’, coming to the UK about seven years ago as a ‘refugee’.
The defendant ‘witnessed incredible violence’ including ‘killings’, Miss Khanna said.
But he is now concerned about deportation despite having leave to remain in Britain.
Miss Khanna said: “He may well return to somewhere where is no longer home, perhaps not safe for him and a considerable distance from his family.”
Sentencing, Recorder Michael Duck KC said: “Without people like you who possess, and more seriously, distribute these images, there would not be a market of images of children being subjected to the appalling abuse which features in this case.
“You perpetuate that market.”
Rustayee admitted three counts of making indecent images of children and three counts of distributing indecent images of children.
The defendant – who had no previous convictions – was jailed for 28 months on Thursday, December 11.
He was also made subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and must remain on the sex offenders register for a decade.
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