Indian-origin man jailed for sexually exploiting minors in UK
What's the story
Bilal Kazi, a 27-year-old Indian-origin student at the University of Chester, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison in the United Kingdom. He pleaded guilty to 37 charges of grooming at least 70 underage girls online. The British authorities have branded him a "serial online groomer" who targeted girls aged between 10 and 17 through social media and gaming platforms such as Snapchat, Roblox, and Wink from August 2021 to August 2025.
Grooming methods
Kazi threatened to leak images and videos
Kazi posed as a 14-year-old white British boy named "Reece," using photos of an unknown teen to gain the trust of his victims.
He demanded increasingly intimate photographs and videos, telling girls that sharing such content was "what people do when they love each other."
If they refused to comply with further demands, he threatened to leak images and videos already shared.
Case development
Investigation launched after girl reported him
The investigation was launched after a 13-year-old girl reported Kazi to police in December 2021.
She had been speaking to him on Snapchat, believing he was her age. After she refused to send more explicit images, Kazi abused her and threatened to leak previously shared material.
The case was transferred to Cheshire Constabulary when it was established that Kazi's last known address was in Chester.
Arrest details
Kazi was arrested at Heathrow Airport
Kazi was arrested at Heathrow Airport on July 21, 2023, when he returned to the UK.
Police initially identified 180 potential victims but later narrowed it down to 70 across 28 police forces in the UK.
Each victim was approached by police and given an opportunity to disclose their experiences.
Sentencing statement
Judge's statement on Kazi's actions
Sentencing Kazi, Judge Stephen Everett called him a sexual predator who exploited social media's apparent lack of security to target vulnerable children.
He said it was "incomprehensible" why anyone would do what Kazi did to those girls.
The judge added that Kazi had robbed children of their sense of safety in their own homes through his abuse of social media platforms.