Ex-supply teacher jailed six years for upskirting over 100 pupils in NW England schools

Abusali Rahman, 36, admitted 21 offences including taking indecent upskirt photos of children at secondary schools across the North West. He was sentenced to six years at Bolton Crown Court.

Former supply teacher sentenced for upskirting and voyeurism offences at multiple schools

Abusali Rahman, 36, a former supply teacher who worked at secondary schools across the north-west of England, has been sentenced to six years in prison after admitting more than 100 upskirt photographs of pupils, bbc.co.uk reports.

Rahman pleaded guilty to 21 offences at Bolton Crown Court, appearing via videolink from HMP Altcourse. The charges included 12 counts of taking indecent photographs of children by upskirting, four counts of publishing an obscene article, three counts of making indecent photographs of children, one count of voyeurism, and one count of distributing an indecent photograph of a child.

Greater Manchester Police said Rahman was arrested in June 2025 after a parent raised concerns when an image of their child in school uniform was circulated on social media. He had qualified as a teacher in 2023 and worked across several schools in the region before his arrest.

Det Sgt Simon France, speaking outside court, said the guilty pleas were the result of a "painstaking, thorough investigation." He confirmed officers first received reports of Rahman's suspected offending in March 2025, with the alleged offences spanning from December 2023 through to 2025 at multiple secondary schools across the North West.

France said the force's digital investigation unit had analysed around 1,000 images over the course of the past year, and that police had been in contact with all the schools where Rahman had worked since qualifying as a teacher.

Emma Kehoe, defending, told the court that Rahman "knows this is a prison sentence" but had been experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the offences. She requested a psychiatric report ahead of sentencing. Recorder Geoffrey Lowe described the case as "complex."

Alex Mann, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said the case involved "a horrifying abuse of trust that affected multiple young victims." Mann said Rahman had first shared sexualised deepfake images online before escalating to upskirting and voyeurism offences.

"Following a comprehensive GMP investigation, prosecutors were able to piece together a compelling case that left the defendant with little choice but admit his crimes," Mann said. "The guilty pleas mean he will face the consequences of his appalling actions, without victims having to prolong their suffering by reliving their experiences at trial."

Source: Sky News