A women-hating former Army cadet has been jailed after terrorising two girls, threatening to ruin their prom, and collecting bomb-making videos. Dihan Rahman, 19, from west London, also made Nazi salute selfies and held a rope noose in photographs.
Stalking Campaign and Online Harassment
Rahman posted personal details of two girls and a teacher online during a stalking campaign. His electronic devices and notes revealed a mixed ideology touching on extreme right-wing, Islamic State, Incel, and hatred of women, a court heard. Serena Gates KC, prosecuting, said: 'The common ground is the hatred of Jews and there is also material on how women are treated within those ideologies.' Rahman had been a trusted administrator of an extreme right-wing network on Telegram, having pretended to be a white youth.
Guilty Pleas and Sentence
He admitted three counts of stalking, three counts of possession of indecent images, and three charges of possessing documents useful for terrorism, including a pipebomb tutorial and a video on how to make TATP explosives. At the Old Bailey on Wednesday, May 6, he was jailed for four-and-a-half years in prison, with an extended licence period of three years.
Judge's Remarks
Sentencing, Judge Simon Mayo KC said: 'This is not a case of a single lapse or a moment of poor judgment. Much of the behaviour was planned, concealed, and persistent. It occurred over a prolonged period and, significantly, it continued even after the police became involved and you were subject to bail conditions.' He described the stalking as 'persistent, calculated and highly intrusive'. The judge noted Rahman's autism spectrum disorder, emotional immaturity, and social isolation but said none of these excused his behaviour.
Impact on Victims
The judge added: 'The impact of your stalking was severe and enduring. The two young women lived in constant fear, altered daily routines, withdrew socially and restricted online activity. Their education suffered, a school prom was relocated twice with additional security, and one of the young women ultimately changed colleges. Both continue to experience anxiety and loss of confidence.'
Details of the Offences
The court heard problems began in 2023 after Rahman attended a new school and an Army cadet programme. When one girl rejected his advances, he began sending abusive messages. He took pictures of her and her friends and spammed her social media. After being banned from the cadet base, he posted on Snapchat and TikTok that he planned to 'ruin prom', forcing organisers to change the venue twice. His friendship with a second girl deteriorated in early 2024 when he criticised her weight on Snapchat. A female teacher seized his phone after he was reported for taking photographs of girls at school. She saw a photograph of Rahman in cadet uniform holding a noose and caught him deleting images. Another picture showed him with a headscarf around his face with an image saying 'Who’s in for a Valentines school shooting'. Jurors were shown pictures of Rahman in military fatigues giving a Nazi salute and holding a green cord tied in a noose.
Arrest and Further Offences
Rahman was arrested at his home on March 15, 2024, and bailed on condition he stay away from the girls, which he failed to do. Last November, he was arrested again after an examination of his laptop revealed 83 searches for the first girl that month. He was then remanded in custody. Further investigations indicated that documents about both girls had been released online with personal details, a practice known as doxxing. Rahman made official complaints against the teacher, pretending to be his own father. He initially denied having documents useful for terrorism, claiming he had them for research.
Victim Impact Statements
The two girls read statements in court from behind a screen. One said: 'I used to have a large social circle however because of this I am more cautious about the friends I have.' Bethan David, head of counter terrorism for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Rahman was driven by his extreme ideologies and misogynistic views. His derogatory views about women and his interest in mixed extreme ideologies drove him to commit the stalking offences causing considerable fear and distress to his victims. Today’s sentencing reflects the seriousness of his crimes, and I hope can bring some closure to his victims.'
