Jail for man who breached order in place to protect young girls

A man has been jailed after breaching a court order in place to protect young girls from exploitation.

Rashid Harif, 24, was made subject of a slavery and trafficking risk order (STRO) in July 2021 following concerns around child sexual exploitation in Peterborough.

On 5 September last year, police officers were on their way to a call for service when a car pulled out in front of them which smelt strongly of cannabis.

The car was stopped and all four occupants, one of whom was Harif, were searched along with the car which uncovered 15 “deal bags” of cannabis, resulting in the arrest of all four men.

Harif was found to have a mobile phone which he had not registered with police – a direct breach of his STRO – and in custody he gave officers an address he was staying at, which was later confirmed to not be his home address, therefore in breach of the court order.

Harif, of Friary Road, East Dulwich, London, appeared at Peterborough Crown Court yesterday on Monday (24 February) where he was sentenced to two years and three months in prison after previously pleading guilty to being in possession of cannabis and two counts of breaching a STRO.

Detective Constable Kyle Miskin, who investigated, said: “Harif has a history of drug-related convictions, as well as being in the company of teenage girls who have been found under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

“Having the slavery and trafficking risk order in place gives us additional powers to ensure safeguarding is in place, however Harif has proved he is not able to stick to the conditions of his order, with six convictions for breaching it in 2022.

“The court agreed Harif poses a significant risk to vulnerable people, in particular young females, which is reflected in the sentence.”