Primark security guard convicted of rape

Zia Uddin, 27, committed sexual offences against four 15-year-old girls while working in the Kingston branch of the chain in 2017.

He threatened the teenagers with calling the police and their parents if they did not perform sexual acts on him in the control room of the store.

Police were finally called after a complaint was made.

The jury heard how his colleagues had noticed his strange behaviour, which included shoplifting report paperwork not being completed properly and requests to delete CCTV.

Uddin was also known to keep condoms in the control room.

Graham Partridge, from the CPS, said, “Zia Uddin preyed on young girls in a vulnerable situation.

"He abused his authority by telling them to perform sexual acts for him on the promise they would then be released without their parents or the police being informed about what they had done.

“Having worked in security, Uddin was also well aware of the CCTV camera ‘blind spots’ and took advantage of these in order to carry out his offending.

“The prosecution case was able to rely on strong witness testimony from the victims who were able to give evidence via pre-recorded video after the CPS applied for special measures.

“Telephone evidence also showed that Uddin had made a number of personal phone calls to other girls accused of shoplifting after acquiring their phone numbers through the incidents.

“During the trial Uddin claimed all the victims were liars and refused to take responsibility for his actions.

"He has now been held accountable for his actions.

“The CPS takes sexual offences extremely seriously and will prosecute offenders where there is the evidence to do so.”

Uddin was found guilty of rape and four counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity following a trial at Kingston Crown Court, which concluded on Friday, 8 November.

Once detained, Uddin’s victims desperately offered to pay for the items they had stolen or suggested they could work in the store to make amends or even never enter the shop again.

However, once alone in the back office, Uddin made clear that he was only interested in sexual acts in exchange for letting them go.

One victim said she only did as Uddin asked because “there was no other choice” and it was the only way out of the situation.

Uddin will be sentenced on 19 November at Kingston Crown Court.