'You used me': Teens tell judge how man lured them over Snapchat, as he pleads guilty
Hammad Shaikh sentenced to 11.5 years in prison
Three years after Hammad Shaikh lured and sexually assaulted underage girls he met on Snapchat, the 26-year-old pleaded guilty to seven offences and sat expressionless in a Calgary courtroom as several of his victims delivered statements with what the judge described as “maturity, grace, kindness and bravery.”
Shaikh was mid-trial on 28 charges when he changed course and pleaded guilty to seven offences on Thursday involving victims between the ages of 12 and 16 years old.
asserted
he → use → years
A publication ban protects the identities of the girls.
asserted
ban → protect → girls
Justice Eleanor Funk accepted the prosecutors’ and defence lawyers’ joint proposal for an 11.5-year prison sentence.
asserted
Funk → accept → sentence
“I hope you understand how damaging your conduct has been,” said the judge.
asserted
judge → hope → ?
Details of Shaikh's crimes against the teens come from an agreed statement of facts prepared by prosecutors Sarah Goard-Baker and Stephanie Morton, and defence lawyers Rebecca Snukal and Mary Stephensen.
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Details → come → prosecutors
'I miss the person I was'
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I → miss → person
Several of the teenage girls, their loved ones and victim support workers were in court for Shaikh’s pleas and sentencing.
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Several → love → pleas
In a powerful and emotional display, three of the girls stood before their abuser in the courtroom and read aloud their victim impact statements.
“My view on intimacy is completely distorted now,” said VK, one of the girls lured and abused by Shaikh.
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VK → stand → Shaikh
VK was 13 years old when Shaikh initiated contact over Snapchat.
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Shaikh → initiate → Snapchat
Their interactions lasted for months.
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interactions → last → months
“I miss the person that I was before,” she said in court on Thursday.
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she → miss → Thursday
“I really feel bad for my dad, though …
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I → feel → dad
I knew it would break his heart.
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it → know → heart
I knew he would blame himself.
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he → know → himself
Victim had just lost parent
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Victim → lose → parent
Court heard that in January 2024, Shaikh picked up VK, bought her flavoured vodka and marijuana and had sex with her in his car.
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Shaikh → hear → car
“I have no idea what my boundaries are because two years ago they were stomped on and run over," she said in court.
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she → have → court
Another victim, LW, told the court that when she met Shaikh in the spring of 2023 she was “already hurting deeply from the loss of a parent.”
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she → tell → parent
Shaikh gave LW alcohol and marijuana before he not only engaged in sexual activity with her in his car, but also recorded and saved videos of it.
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he → give → it
'An immense amount of shame'
Shaikh admitted Thursday that he knew LW was 15 years old when he began messaging her on Instagram and Snapchat.
“
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he → admit → Instagram
I carried an immense amount of shame,” said LW.
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LW → carry → shame
“I felt ashamed of every kiss, every touch, every word.”
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I → feel → kiss
“You used me in so many ways.”
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You → use → ways
More videos taken
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videos → take → ?
In her statement, PC told the court that after she was victimized by Shaikh, she tried to take her own life.
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she → tell → life
Shaikh knew PC was 14 years old when he first made contact over Snapchat.
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he → know → Snapchat
Over the next five months, he supplied marijuana and alcohol when the two met regularly and had sex in his car, home and a hotel room.
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two → supply → car
Shaikh again took videos that constituted child sexual abuse and exploitation material.
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that → take → material
In the aftermath, PC said she suffered serious mental health issues, lost friends and stopped going to school.
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she → say → school
“I smoked more weed and drank dangerous amounts to forget,” said PC.
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PC → smoke → amounts
“I couldn't forgive myself.”
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I → forgive → myself
PC’s mother also read a statement, describing midnight ER visits and watching her daughter “wither away.”
“She could not be left alone …
uncertain
She → read → visits
I had to focus on keeping my child alive,” said PC’s mother.
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mother → have → child
“A hurting child hurts the whole family.”
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child → hurt → family
After Shaikh was first arrested, he was released on bail on conditions including that he have no contact with his victims and stay away from social media.
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he → arrest → media
But Shaikh bought a new iPhone and contacted more girls.
Witness tampering
One of the charges he pleaded guilty to was luring.
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he → buy → charges
The victims of that offence are seven named complainants and eight unnamed, underage girls who police found evidence of on Shaikh’s new cellphone.
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police → name → cellphone
He also pleaded guilty to witness tampering.
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He → plead → tampering
Three months after his arrest, Shaikh contacted one of his victims and attempted to convince her to go to police and recant her complaint against him.
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Shaikh → contact → him
He also tried to convince her that what happened between them was legal.
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happened → try → them
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
