A man from the Black Country has been sent to prison after being caught with a huge collection of indecent images of children, which he shared with other paedophiles in an online chatroom.
Disturbing collection discovered on devices
Rafattullah Rustayee, aged 25, was found in possession of 885 indecent pictures and videos of children, some as young as three years old. The illegal material was discovered on his iPhone and iPad after police executed a search warrant at his home in Dudley in October 2024.
Officers had received intelligence that such images were being uploaded online. While nothing was found on an iMac also seized, the other devices contained nearly three hours of moving abuse footage featuring victims aged between three and 15.
Active distribution in online forums
Prosecutor Thomas Duggan told Wolverhampton Crown Court that Rustayee was not just a passive collector. Between November 2023 and October 2024, he used a Telegram account to distribute 59 indecent images to others in a forum.
The court heard he actively searched for extreme illegal content, requesting material involving BDSM, bondage, and sadomasochism. He also engaged in conversations with other users about their sexual interest in children.
Sentencing and consequences
Rustayee, of Claverley Court, Vicarage Prospect, Dudley, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and three counts of distributing them. He had no previous convictions.
On Thursday, 11 December, Recorder Michael Duck KC sentenced him to 28 months in prison. The judge told him: "Without people like you who possess, and more seriously, distribute these images, there would not be a market of images of children being subjected to the appalling abuse which features in this case. You perpetuate that market."
In addition to his jail term, Rustayee was made subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must remain on the Sex Offenders Register for a decade.
In mitigation, his defence barrister, Ammo Khanna, said Rustayee was a 'man of few words' who did not seek to justify his actions. She stated he felt shame, had an 'early understanding that he has a problem', and wanted to seek help. The court was told Rustayee had come to the UK as a refugee about seven years ago, had witnessed violence, and was now concerned about deportation.
