6 March 2026
An Afghan asylum seeker ‘will not be deported’ after he was sentenced for stalking a schoolgirl for sexual pleasure, a court has heard.
Sabjan Burkazi, 30, was jailed for 40 months this week at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court after becoming obsessed with the underage girl and performing a sex act in front of her.
He was also found to be in possession of indecent images of children.
But the court heard the pervert, who was born in Afghanistan and worked in the military supporting Western governments, is not expected to be deported.
His asylum application in the UK has already been refused and an appeal against the refusal is currently pending, Stoke-on-Trent Live reported.
Passing sentence, Judge Graeme Smith told him: ‘You are in principle liable to automatic deportation at that point. But there are exceptions to that principle and the understanding of the police is that you will not be deported.’
Burkzai arrived in the UK after the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan, claiming his life was now endangered.
During a campaign of stalking, he was said to have removed his trousers in front of his child victim and attempted to grab her one evening as she walked through an alleyway, the court heard.
Sabjan Burkazi, 30, was jailed for 40 months this week at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court after becoming obsessed with the underage girl and performing a sex act in front of her
Prosecutor James Hudson said: ‘The defendant began to speak to her on occasions, telling her she was sexy. He made her feel uncomfortable so she changed her route to school.’
The defendant soon began to pop up wherever the girl would go, including at a park where she liked to spend time with her friends.
Mr Hudson said: ‘He would either pretend to be behind bushes or would be on his mobile phone. He tried to initiate contact with her. On one occasion he told her she was sexy and pretty. He asked her to come to his house, saying he would be a “good boy”.
‘He offered her money and asked for her name and phone number. She gave him a fake number to make him go away. His attention at the park made her stop going there to meet her friends.
‘He approached her in the park, smirked at her, took hold of her hand and touched her on her shoulder. She saw he had his hand in the top of his trousers. On at least one occasion she could see his hands moving inside his trousers.’
Last summer, the girl was said to have been walking through an alleyway in Stoke-on-Trent at around 8pm when Burkazi approached her.
Mr Hudson told the court: ‘The victim felt her arm being grabbed from behind. It was the defendant pulling at her arm. He told her to come to his house and he would be a good boy. Her friend started to kick and grab at the defendant to prevent him taking the victim. There was a struggle between them.’
Police attended the defendant’s home and seized his phone and tablet. They contained 64 indecent images of children.
In a victim statement the schoolgirl said his behaviour has significantly impacted on her life. It made her feel scared and she no longer goes to the park. He caused her a lot of anxiety and she is scared about seeing him again.
She said: ’He offered me money and said creepy things to me. This man was obsessed with me. I could not live a normal life. He said, ”baby, sexy”. It made me feel uncomfortable. I have stopped hanging around with my friends. I feel scared and intimidated. I no longer feel safe. I have psychologically suffered.’
Burkazi, of the Tunstall area of Stoke, pleaded guilty to stalking causing serious alarm or distress; engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child; and three charges of making indecent images of children.
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Rashad Mohammed, defending,told the court: ‘By August 2021 he was married and had two children. He made the difficult decision to leave Afghanistan because had he remained, he says, his life would have been in danger. He eventually arrived in the UK.
‘He tells me his asylum application was initially refused. He sought to appeal that and is now awaiting a final determination.
‘He accepts he behaved in the way alleged. It was not his intention to cause the victim fear, alarm or distress. He described he was lonely. He had not much to do.
‘He recognises his conviction may jeapordise his asylum application. He regrets what he has done and he is sorry. It is accepted the actions were persistent and over a long period of time. It is not accepted it was intended to maximise fear or distress.’
Judge Graeme Smith handed Burkazi a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed him on the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.
Judge Smith said: ‘You came here from Afghanistan and sought asylum. You were placed in accommodation where you were very much on your own. You developed an obsession with the victim…you now express regret, remorse and shame.’
Judge Smith said Burkazi will serve half the sentence in custody before being released on licence.
He added: ’If you are not deported you will be released into the community on licence. You must then comply with the conditions and commit no further offences.’