Admin I Friday, July 17, 2026
LONDON – A predatory children’s care home worker who exploited his position of trust to launch horrific sexual attacks on vulnerable young residents has been jailed for 11 years.
Abdalraham Katende, 30, targeted defenseless teenagers under his care before attempting to thwart a Metropolitan Police investigation by refusing to hand over his mobile phone PIN.
Following extensive legal and digital forensic work by detectives, Katende, of Ferme Park Road, Haringey, was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Wednesday, 8 July. This followed his conviction on Monday, 11 May for rape of a child, sexual activity with a child, causing a child to watch a sexual act, and failing to provide access to devices.
The investigation into Katende began after two courageous victims came forward to disclose the abuse they suffered while he was employed as a support worker.
The court heard harrowing details of how Katende abused his position: The Kitchen Attack: In October 2023, Katende approached a 15-year-old girl while she was preparing food in the care home kitchen. He sexually assaulted and raped her. The victim screamed and managed to break free from her attacker.
The Explicit Video: That same month, Katende forced a 14-year-old boy living at the home to watch an explicit video on his mobile phone depicting Katende having sex with a woman.
Smashed Wall of Silence: The Battle for the Phone
When detectives identified Katende’s mobile phone as containing vital evidence, the predator refused to cooperate. In a bid to hide his crimes, he repeatedly refused to provide his PIN.
Met detectives launched a rapid legal operation to secure a court-endorsed order under Section 49 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA). Securing the warrant required significant legal hurdles, including detailed evidential submissions and authorizations from digital forensic teams, a superintendent, and a Crown Court judge.
Katende’s continued refusal to unlock the device resulted in a separate criminal charge and conviction, which prosecutors used in court to prove his calculated efforts to frustrate justice and conceal evidence.
Following the sentencing, both victims released powerful statements to encourage other survivors to speak out.
Victim A said:
”The person who hurt me was meant to protect me, and he fooled everyone. A good reputation or a normal way of acting does not mean someone cannot be dangerous.
”To anyone else who has experienced something similar: I want you to know it is never too late to come forward. No matter how much time has passed, your voice matters.”
Victim B, who was just 14 at the time, added:
”I looked up to him as a carer and trusted him. It will not be something I will ever fully move on from. If you are going through a similar thing, always speak out. To others in care, I want them to know that they are not alone.”
Detective Constable Nick Baker, from the Central North Child Abuse Investigation Team, praised the victims’ immense bravery.
”The team acted quickly to secure the necessary authorizations,” DC Baker said. “When Mr. Katende continued to refuse access, we obtained a further charge. His refusal became an important part of the prosecution case, helping demonstrate his efforts to obstruct the investigation and avoid accountability.”
The Metropolitan Police highlighted that reporting of sexual offenses has seen a significant year-on-year increase. Crucially, arrests and charges for child sexual exploitation have skyrocketed by 116 per cent over the last year.
The Met is currently rolling out a £10 million program to upgrade video-recorded interview (VRI) suites to support victims in trauma-informed environments, alongside expanding specialized child exploitation teams and Local Missing Hubs.
