VICTIMS of sexual abuse by a former Imam broke down in tears in court as he was jailed for two years.

The three women, who cannot be identified, attended Swindon Crown Court yesterday with their families to see Ebrahim Yusuf Kazi, 67, in the dock after he was found guilty of five counts of indecent assault on three girls aged under the age of 13.

The offences dated back to between 1979 and 1986 at Broad Street Mosque, where Kazi was an Imam before moving to Gloucester. The court heard Kazi preyed on his victims, aged between eight and 11 at the time, while they attended his lessons in the mosque.

He summoned them individually to his desk in a classroom full of children and proceeded to touch them while they read to him. He even took one girl, whom he had groomed and called his ‘favourite’, to the toilet, where he removed her clothes and touched her.

When challenged by one of the girls’ parents at the time he denied the allegations and branded the youngster a liar, the court heard.

Presiding Judge Euan Ambrose said Kazi could have expected a harsher punishment had his crimes been more recent, but he was bound by court powers that existed at the time.

He said: “You were trusted by those who attended the mosque. You were also trusted by the parents who sent their children to be taught by you.

”There has become much stiffer sentences for this type of behaviour .

“But I am obliged as a matter of law to sentence you in regard to the law at the time.”

Judge Ambrose also imposed an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order against Kazi.

In mitigation Martin Steen, defending, said since his crimes came to light Kazi had lived in fear for his life, even having panic rooms installed in his home, while he also suffered from severe depression .

He said: “In the 27 years since he moved out of Swindon he has behaved impeccably in terms of support given to the community.

“It’s unusual to find a case of this nature after this number of years with messages of support.”

Detective Constable Dawn Simmonds, who led the investigation, admitted to being frustrated by the legal restrictions and said the victims were upset after the ruling.