Indian student jailed for 30 years in UK for grooming and blackmailing 70 girls online

A 27-year-old Indian student has been sentenced to 30 years in prison in the United Kingdom for grooming, blackmailing and sexually exploiting dozens of girls through social media and online gaming platforms.

Bilal Kazi was sentenced at Chester Crown Court in north-west England after pleading guilty to multiple child sexual abuse offences committed online. UK authorities described him as a “serial online groomer” who manipulated young girls by pretending to be a teenage boy.

Investigators established that Kazi targeted girls through social media and gaming platforms, building relationships with them before coercing them into sharing explicit photographs and videos. His victims included girls aged between 10 and 15 during the initial reported offences.

The investigation eventually identified 70 victims, aged between 11 and 17 at the time of Kazi's offending, across 28 of the UK's 45 police forces. Police had initially identified 180 potential victims using information recovered from his electronic device.

Indian student used fake teenage identity to groom girls online

According to the prosecution, Kazi followed a consistent approach to contact and manipulate his victims. He approached girls through platforms such as Snapchat, Roblox and Wink, pretending to be a white British teenage boy named "Reece."

He used photographs of an unidentified boy to support the false identity and gain the confidence of the girls. By presenting himself as someone of their age, Kazi persuaded several victims that they were involved in genuine romantic relationships with him.

The court heard that he exploited these relationships to obtain explicit photographs and videos from the children. He also pressured them into performing sexual acts and threatened to share their private content with other people if they refused to follow his demands.

Martin McRobb, Specialist Prosecutor at the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), described the extent of the abuse and manipulation involved in the case.

“Bilal Kazi acted with absolute ruthlessness in grooming, manipulating and exploiting a large number of young vulnerable girls," McRobb said.

“He befriended them online and forced them to take photos and videos carrying out sexual acts. He then blackmailed those who refused to comply with his further demands, threatening to post the explicit imagery to others,” McRobb added.

“He posed as a teenage boy in order to attract and gain the trust of his victims and caused many to think that they were in a genuine relationship with him. When the victims realised they had been deceived, they were understandably distressed and some suffered serious and long-term trauma," he said.

The CPS said its Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit presented the court with extensive evidence collected by police investigators from Cheshire and the West Midlands.

Police identify 70 victims across 28 UK police forces

The investigation revealed the scale of Kazi's online grooming activities through digital evidence recovered from his electronic device.

According to Cheshire Constabulary, officers initially identified 180 potential victims. Specialist Victim Identification Officers then worked to trace the individuals targeted by Kazi using usernames and other information recovered during the investigation.

“Officers identified 180 potential victims, with specialist Victim Identification Officers working to trace those targeted by Kazi using usernames and other data recovered from his device. As a result, 70 victims, aged between 11 and 17 at the time of Kazi's offending, were identified across 28 of the UK's 45 police forces," Cheshire Constabulary stated.

After identifying the victims, police officers visited each of the 70 individuals and offered them an opportunity to disclose their experiences of Kazi's online abuse.

Detective Constable Georgia Hughes, from the Online Child Abuse Investigation Team at Cheshire Constabulary, said the investigation required considerable resources and coordination among police teams.

“The scale of Kazi’s offending meant this was a truly mammoth investigation, requiring significant resources and close collaboration across the force,” Hughes said.

“The girls targeted by Kazi were young and vulnerable. For many, their interactions with him were their first experience of what they believed to be a romantic relationship. Exploiting that trust, Kazi manipulated them into believing that his behaviour was normal.

“His offending has had a profound and lasting impact on the victims. Many lived in constant fear of what he would do if they failed to comply with his demands, and some have carried that fear with them for years. What should have been important formative years have instead been overshadowed by the trauma of Kazi's abuse," she said.

Snapchat grooming case led to police investigation in 2021

The investigation began after one of Kazi's victims reported him to Derbyshire Police in November 2021. According to the police account, the girl had started communicating with him on Snapchat when she was 13.

She believed Kazi was also a teenager of her age. However, their conversations soon became sexual, with Kazi asking her several inappropriate questions and gradually pressuring her to share explicit material.

In July 2021, the girl told Kazi that she wanted to remain friends and no longer wished to send him photographs or videos. His response reportedly turned abusive.

Kazi called her names and claimed that she was his property. He also threatened to distribute the photographs and videos she had previously shared with him to her friends unless she continued complying with his demands.

Fearing that her private content would be circulated, the victim felt compelled to continue sending explicit photographs and videos.

Shortly afterward, her Snapchat account was hacked, and the material she had shared with Kazi was sent to her friends. She subsequently approached Derbyshire Police in November 2021 to report the abuse and threats.

Bilal Kazi arrested at Heathrow Airport after returning to UK

Following the initial complaint, the investigation was transferred to Cheshire Constabulary after police enquiries established that Kazi's last known address was in Chester.

Investigators later discovered that he had left the United Kingdom. However, he was arrested at Heathrow Airport in July 2023 when he returned to the country.

Police questioned him in connection with the allegations made by the first victim. Further investigations and analysis of the digital evidence subsequently helped authorities identify additional victims across several parts of the UK.

The recovery of usernames and other data from his device played an important role in tracing the girls who had been targeted through different online platforms.

UK police warn against online child sexual exploitation

Detective Sergeant Ross Peel of Cheshire Constabulary said the case demonstrated the importance of protecting children from sexual exploitation through digital platforms.

“I hope this case demonstrates our commitment to protecting vulnerable people and bringing an end to the sexual exploitation of children. It should also serve as a warning to those who, like Kazi, believe that hiding behind a screen makes them anonymous and untouchable," Peel said.

The investigation highlighted how online identities and seemingly personal relationships can be used to manipulate children into sharing private content. Police said the victims were offered opportunities to report their experiences after being identified.

The 30-year prison sentence follows Kazi's guilty pleas to multiple online child sexual abuse offences. The case also exposed the extent of the alleged exploitation, with investigators tracing 70 victims across 28 police forces in the UK.

Authorities have emphasized the lasting psychological impact of the abuse, with several victims reportedly living in fear of threats and blackmail for years.