STORY
The Court of Appeal has boosted the prison term of former carer Jamil Talukder to eight years, more than doubling his original sentence, after he was found to have sexually abused a severely disabled child in his care. The increase follows a referral under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme by Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP. Talukder, 23, of Sheffield, arrived in the UK from Bangladesh in October 2022 to study marketing and began working as a paid carer in October 2023. Evidence presented to the court included covert recordings made by the child’s mother, which showed Talukder committing multiple offences against the vulnerable youngster. Victim statements revealed that the primary victim now distrusts all male carers as a result of Talukder’s actions.
During the appeal hearing, it also emerged that Talukder had abused a second child and had the indecency recorded on his own phone. On 27 February 2025, Sheffield Crown Court had sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment for six counts of sexual abuse. The Court of Appeal, agreeing that the initial term was unduly lenient, imposed an eight-year custodial sentence on 22 May 2025. Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP said the revised sentence “reflects the gravity of Talukder’s betrayal of trust and the lasting harm caused to his victims.” She extended her sympathies to the children and their families, emphasising the government’s commitment to ensure that protectors of the vulnerable face appropriate punishment when they offend.