A Muslim cleric has today been sentenced to prison for sexually assaulting a teenage boy 28 years ago.

Qazi Masud Alam, 69, of Milton Avenue, Manor Park, was ordered to serve 22 weeks in prison after being found guilty of indecently assaulting a 16-year-old boy.

Jurors at Snaresbrook Crown Court heard how Alam, who is understood to have taught at a number of mosques around the borough, was known to the victim’s family and had even attended a dinner party at their home in Newham.

However, two weeks after the party in December 1986, the cleric turned up at the victim’s house uninvited while his parents were away for the day and assaulted him by putting his hands down his trousers.

The victim told his family but a decision was made not to call the police at the time. However the victim, now 45, decided finally to report the assault in 2012.

During the sentencing, Judge Patricia Lees, said the incident had left the victim “emotionally scarred”, adding: “It took him many years to report the incident. He did it only because he was concerned for the safety of his own children.”

Alam will have to serve at least half of his sentence behind bars.

He will also no longer be able to teach children and will not be allowed to have any unsupervised contact with under 17s without parental consent and the approval of social services.