Man jailed for 30 years after grooming at least 70 girls online

Bilal Kazi, 27, has been jailed for 30 years after admitting offences involving at least 70 girls, aged 10 to 17, whom he groomed online and manipulated into sending sexual images and videos.

Kazi, an Indian student who had been studying at the University of Chester, posed as a 14-year-old British boy called “Reece” on Snapchat, Wink and Roblox. He pleaded guilty in July to 37 offences, including making indecent images of children, blackmail and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

He must serve at least 20 years before he can be considered for parole. He will be on the sex offenders register for life and, if released, on licence for eight years.

The court heard that Kazi pressured girls for increasingly intimate material, threatening to share images with their friends and families if they refused. In some cases, he hacked their social media accounts and shared or published the images. Victims described lasting effects including anxiety; the court heard that some had attempted suicide or developed eating disorders.

The investigation began after a victim reported Kazi to Derbyshire Police in December 2021. Cheshire Constabulary said 180 possible victims had been identified in its initial investigation. Kazi was arrested at Heathrow Airport in July 2023, after returning to the UK.

He has also been charged with eight further offences alleged to have taken place while he was on bail. Cheshire Police said those offences were considered as part of his overall sentence.

Sentencing him at Chester Crown Court, Judge Stephen Everett called Kazi a “very dangerous person” and said he doubted his remorse. Cheshire Police urged parents to take an interest in the apps and platforms their children use.