Children’s mentor guilty of sexually abusing five girls at London school
A child mentor has been convicted of 14 sexual offenses against former pupils at a London school, police said, following a two-decade investigation into child sexual abuse.
A jury at Isleworth Crown Court convicted Emem Udaw, 50, of Knollmead, Tolworth, south London, after a three-week trial. He was found guilty of 14 counts of indecent assault on a girl under 16.
The crimes, which took place at Holland Park Secondary School between 2001 and 2004, when Udaw was working as a mentor to children, involved five victims, all of whom were teenagers at the time, according to the Met Police.
Investigating officer Sandy Whysall described Uda as a “predatory criminal” who abused his position of trust by targeting vulnerable young girls during school hours.
DC Whysall continued: “Today’s conviction sends a clear message: no matter how much time passes, we will relentlessly pursue those who commit sexual offenses against children.”
“Victims have always been at the center of this investigation and we admire their courage in coming forward. Their bravery not only secured justice, but will also help protect others and ensure a dangerous individual is held accountable.”
The case first emerged in 2019, when a victim posted in a closed social media group about inappropriate behavior by a former school employee.
Several women noticed this statement and privately shared similar experiences; This ultimately led to three victims reporting the harassment to police in January 2020.
Police interviewed Udaw after two more victims came forward in August and November 2020. Although he denied the allegations, Udaw was charged with 21 crimes on July 1, 2024.
Investigators found that Udaw used his mentoring role to isolate victims during one-on-one sessions. It was revealed that he encouraged students to skip classes, taking them to empty classrooms and sometimes locking the doors. He made sexualized comments, asked personal questions, and then touched and kissed the victims “under the guise of comfort in intimate areas,” even forcing the victims to sit on his lap.
Police said these acts were carried out repeatedly, often during school hours and under the pretext of providing emotional support.
He will be sentenced in the same court on Thursday, January 29.
