AN ISLAMIC studies teacher who molested two young pupils at a madrassa set up at his parents’ home was jailed for a year today.

Bashir Suleman, 30, of Mafeking Avenue, Ilford forced one of the girls to touch him as she rocked back and forth in prayer.

Suleman denied targeting the youngsters but was convicted of two assaults dating back to when he was a teenager, between 1997 and 1998, following a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court last month.

Prosecutor Bernard Eaton earlier told jurors Suleman was guilty of taking “outrageous advantage” of the trust placed in him by his young pupils.

He had been acting as an Islamic religious teacher at his family home in Balfour Road, Ilford, between August 1996 and March 1998, the court heard.

His victims did not come forward until many years later when one of the two girls began to confide in a teacher at her secondary school.

Judge John Lafferty told Suleman: “Even though you don’t acknowledge your guilt, you must bitterly reget succumbing to your impulses when you were 16 and 17.

“Your younger victim was very young at the time and I regard the offences against her as being particularly serious.”

Suleman was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for five years and was permanently banned from working with children and vulnerable adults.

Suleman’s barrister Miranda Moore QC said Suleman had lost his good name in the community built up over 13 years and an opportunity to marry.

Suleman of Mafeking Avenue, Ilford, was convicted of indecency with a child and indecent assault.

He was cleared of two counts of rape, attempted rape and five counts of indecent assault, all relating to the same two victims.