The mother of an abused girl said she is “sickened” the paedophile who assaulted her is allowed to remain living in her neighbourhood, nearly a year after he was convicted of the offence.
Zabhullah Boota, then 52, was found guilty of sexual assault and inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity in November last year.
His young victim’s mother said comments made by the sentencing judge led her to believe Boota was to be evicted from his home in Lydgate Drive, Lidget Green.
But she still sees him regularly, causing distress to her and her daughter.
Sentencing Boota to a community order at Bradford Crown Court on December 17 last year, Recorder Benjamin Nolan QC said he had considered imposing a residence order requiring him to live somewhere other than his home because his victim still lived in the neighbourhood.
He said: “One can see that (Boota returning home) is likely to cause aggravation and distress. However, I hear you are, in effect, being evicted by the housing association that rents you your home and I anticipate you will have to move in some matter of months in any event.”
Bradford Council’s latest electoral register still lists Boota as living at the Lydgate Drive address.
And a spokesman for the housing association, which cannot be named for legal reasons, said it had not been made aware of the judge’s comments.
He said: “We were not party to these legal proceedings. The judge’s comments were not communicated to us and we have no record of them on file.
“We cannot evict someone from their home without an order from the court. We continue to monitor the situation and work with both families in what is a delicate matter.”
The child’s mother, who cannot be named to protect her daughter’s identity, said: “Because of their breakdown in communication we are still suffering.
“You would think that the judge would be making these comments on the back of solid evidence.
“From my interpretation of what he said, he wasn’t going to order him to live somewhere else because he was going to be evicted anyway.
“I would like someone to tell me what the hell is happening.
“We have to see him every day, he stands in the garden. Because of that I have been severely depressed, I have only just started feeling better.
“I think of it and it is absolutely sickening the way everything has turned out. I was under the impression he was going to be evicted.
“My daughter is really struggling, she still has nightmares.
“Her innocence was taken away. She doesn’t trust any adults, and a child shouldn’t feel that way.”
Lesley Mclean, West Yorkshire divisional manager for the charity Victim Support, said: “Victim Support helps thousands of victims of sexual assault a year and we know just how devastating the crime can be and how it can leave a lasting impact.
“For victims of sexual assault to continue to live in fear of the offender, particularly if they are living near to the victim, is unacceptable.”
A spokesman for the West Yorkshire Probation Trust said it prepares pre-sentence reports as requested by courts to provide additional information about offences and offenders to assist with sentencing decisions.
She said: “The pre-sentence report will be usually compiled by interviewing the offender, talking to other local agencies and organisations. It will include information about a range of issues including risk, accommodation, employment, mental health etc where they have an impact on the offence.”
The reports are only available to courts and prisons, she added.
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