A former maths teacher from Barkingside has been jailed for 25 years after being convicted of 37 child sexual abuse offences, in a case that saw detectives uncover 12 further victims hidden in hundreds of gigabytes of digital evidence.
Syed Shahreear Ahmed, 37, of Mossford Lane, Barkingside, was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, November 5, to 25 years in prison, with a further eight years to be served on extended licence. He had been found guilty on July 10, following a second trial.
Ahmed used fake online identities on popular social media apps, with altered photographs, to groom girls aged between 13 and 16 before arranging meetings and sexually abusing them. He pretended to be a teenage boy to win their trust.
The 37 offences he was convicted of included 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.
Ahmed was already serving time for child sex abuse offences. In an earlier trial in 2025 he was found guilty of 14 child sexual abuse offences, alongside previous guilty pleas for offences relating to indecent images of children. In total, he has now been convicted of 56 child sexual abuse offences, relating to 18 victims.
His 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 then examined digital material recovered from two mobile phones seized following Ahmed’s arrest, spending months reviewing hours of social media messages, images and videos. They identified seven victims and uncovered offending dating back to 2019, before further analysis revealed 12 more victims.
The investigation was led by the Metropolitan Police’s Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (OCSAE) team, which investigates some of London’s most serious and complex child abuse cases, identifying online predators, safeguarding children at risk and tracing hidden victims. The Met took over the case because of its complexity and the geographical spread of victims, working with police colleagues from Cambridgeshire, Thames Valley, Hertfordshire, Essex and Kent.
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 exploiting them. This case is a stark reminder to parents that people online may not always be who they claim to be.”
He added: “Many offenders may believe that once they have been convicted our work stops. This case shows that is simply not true. Following Ahmed’s initial conviction, detectives continued to scrutinise digital evidence, pursuing every line of enquiry and identifying further victims who had been targeted, groomed and abused.”
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. His predatory behaviour is all the more shocking because he was a teacher who had been trained in safeguarding children.”
The OCSAE team’s work has grown sharply in the past two years, with average weekly arrests increasing and detectives now securing an average of 17 charges against offenders each week. Detective Constable Carl Conibeere said: “Protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation remains one of our highest priorities. We will continue to relentlessly pursue offenders, identify those who may be at risk and ensure victims receive the support they deserve.”
Police believe there may be even more victims and are urging anyone who had contact with Ahmed to come forward. Reports can be made online or by calling 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.
It follows other major cases involving sexual offences and the Metropolitan Police, including the guilty verdict against Russell Brand at Southwark Crown Court and the dismissal of a Metropolitan Police officer for gross misconduct.
