Imran Ahmad Khan was part of a panel reviewing a research paper into child sexual exploitation.
Image source, Reuters
A Tory MP found guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy previously advised the Home Office on a research paper into child sexual exploitation.
The department confirmed Imran Ahmad Khan was on a panel that reviewed the work, prompted by high-profile cases of sexual grooming gangs in the UK.
A Home Office spokesman said the department was not aware of the allegations against him at the time.
Khan has said he will resign as an MP and appeal against his conviction.
Earlier this month, Southwark Crown Court found Khan guilty of groping the teenager at a party in Staffordshire in January 2008.
The jury heard he had forced the youngster to drink gin, dragged him upstairs and asked him to watch pornography before assaulting him.
Khan, who is 48 and has represented Wakefield since 2019, has continued to deny the offence and is awaiting sentencing.
Expert panel
The Guardian reported on Tuesday that in 2020, Khan joined an expert panel offering advice on grooming gangs.
He went on to contribute to a policy paper entitled “group-based child sexual exploitation characteristics of offending”, published by Home Secretary Priti Patel in December that year.
According to the newspaper, the Conservative MP attended online meetings with the panel of sexual exploitation experts in July, September and November of 2020.
Earlier that year – in May 2020 – Staffordshire police said he had given a written statement under caution, addressing claims he had assaulted a minor.
In a written statement to Parliament in December 2020, Ms Patel confirmed Khan’s involvement in the external reference group that “reviewed and informed this work”.
Her department again confirmed the part he played in the work to the BBC, with a spokesman saying: “In his role as an MP, Mr Khan was asked along with several others to peer review a Home Office research paper.
“The Home Office was not aware of the allegations against him at the time and he no longer has any involvement with the department.”
