Bilal Kazi, an Indian Ph.D. student in the United Kingdom, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after he posed as a blond teenager on Snapchat and manipulated more than 70 girls, some as young as 10, into sending explicit photos.
His actions sparked a nationwide investigation and revealed just how vulnerable young people can be online.
Case raises online security concerns
Kazi's crimes came to light when images surfaced online in 2021. Even after his rearrest and while out on bail again, he kept offending, showing no remorse.
Judge Steven Everett, the Honorary Recorder of Chester, called him a "children who believed they were safe in their own homes" who "lack of proper security on social media sites which should have been there to prevent young persons from being taken advantage of by sexual predators like you."
The case has raised serious concerns about weak online security and the need for better protection for children on social media.