Convicted terrorist who travelled to Pakistan to train at jihadist camp is spared jail despite changing his phone and bank cards without telling police after his release
- Shahid Khan, 28, was jailed for 40 months in 2013 for training to a terror camp
- Required to tell police of changes to his personal details under a 10-year order
- Judge said Khan has made ‘substantial efforts’ since conviction to rehabilitate
A convicted terrorist was handed a four-month suspended sentence today after changing his phone and bank cards without telling police after his release.
Shahid Khan, 28, was jailed for 40 months in 2013 after pleading guilty to engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts by travelling to Pakistan for training at a jihadist camp.
He was made the subject of a 10-year notification order obligating him to keep authorities up to date with his personal details following his release.
Shahid Khan, 28, was jailed for 40 months in 2013 after pleading guilty to engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorist acts by travelling to Pakistan for training at a jihadist camp
Khan, of Perry Barr, Birmingham, appeared at the Old Bailey for sentence, having admitted four breaches by failing to inform police of new replacement bank cards and a mobile phone.
Between November 2019 and May 2020 he had acquired two replacement bank cards linked to his main NatWest account and had opened a Monzo account without telling police, whom he was required to notify of any changes in his financial information within three days, the court heard.
Investigations also revealed he was using a mobile phone which detectives were unaware of.
Prosecutor Kieran Cunningham said: ‘Whilst no harm has been identified by the defendant’s offending, the Crown submit that the risk of harm is high given the nature of the defendant’s terrorism offending history.’
Defending, Antonie Muller said the offences were an illustration of ‘the sometimes chaotic way this young man lives his life’ and he ‘clearly did not appreciate the detail’ in which he would have to keep authorities notified of his activities.
Mr Muller told the court: ‘He’s not holding multiple accounts, he’s losing his bank card, new cards are being sent to him. The account itself has no nefarious activity on it whatsoever.’
Khan, of Perry Barr, Birmingham, appeared at the Old Bailey for sentence, having admitted four breaches by failing to inform police of new replacement bank cards and a mobile phone
Mr Justice Sweeney sentenced Khan to four months’ imprisonment suspended for two years plus 10 days’ rehabilitation activity requirement.
The offences were serious against the background of his previous conviction and the orders were there to protect the public, he said.
He also acknowledged that Khan, who works for a boiler installation firm, had made ‘substantial efforts’ in the years since his conviction to rehabilitate himself.
He added that he was satisfied the offences owed more to a ‘casual attitude’ towards the notification order than a ‘deliberate flouting’ of it.