Edinburgh crime: Student who posted Snapchat video of himself having sex with underage girl jailed

Abu Huraira lured the youngster to a Halloween party in Edinburgh.

A student who had sex with an underage girl at a party and posted mobile phone footage on Snapchat has been jailed for two years.

Abu Huraira, 23, lured the youngster to a Halloween bash he was holding at an Edinburgh flat where she later woke to find herself naked and the brute on top her. Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told friends of Huraira burst into the bedroom and one man filmed the attack before the footage was then shared on Snapchat messaging app.

The court was also told Huraira, from Glenrothes, Fife, had later shown the victim footage incident on his phone while he “high-fived” his pals. The distressed 15-year-old fled the party flat in the Capital’s city centre and after speaking to family members the police were subsequently contacted.

Abu Huraira, 23, lured the youngster to a Halloween bash he was holding at an Edinburgh flat

Huraira, who was studying for a nursing degree at Dundee University, claimed he did not know the child was underage and was subsequently arrested and charged three years after the incident took place. Huraira pled guilty to a charge of having sex with an older child and penetrating her with his penis between October 26 and 27, 2019 when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month.

He returned to the court for sentencing on Thursday where his lawyer said his client’s plans for a medical career have now been abandoned after he was forced to leave the degree course following his guilty plea.

Calum Harris, defending, said Huraira continued to deny he knew the girl was underage and the incident had been filmed by “someone he did not know”. Mr Harris said Huraira has “done absolutely everything in his power to turn things around” since the incident took place four years ago.

He said the student is also continuing with a law degree he is taking with the Open University and had been vice president of the Life Sciences School while he attended Dundee University.

Sheriff Daniel Kelly said Huraira had “taken advantage” of the girl while she was drunk and that he had been aware the incident was being filmed. Sheriff Kelly also said Huraira had shown the girl the footage of them in bed together and that he “was seen high-fiving [friends] after it”. The sheriff jailed Huraira for 24 months and placed him on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.

Sheriff Kelly also issued a non-harassment order banning Huraira from having any contact with the victim for the next 10 years.

Previously the court was told Huraira rented out a flat at the capital’s Victoria Street and invited around 20 pals to attend a Halloween party in October 2019.

Fiscal depute Matthew Millar said the girl attended the party but did not remember how she got into the bed or how she became to be naked. Mr Millar said: “The complainer said, ‘the covers were moved to the side of the bed and I wasn’t under them and I remember Huraira having sex with me - I have no idea how that came about’.”

The fiscal said the girl then turned to her side and saw a man recording the incident on his phone and that “other party guests came into the room and began laughing at her.”

The court heard the girl was “scared” during the incident and Huraira later told her the footage had been shared with others on Snapchat.