Newham PCSO jailed for six years for blackmailing brothel workers

A former PCSO who blackmailed brothel workers has been jailed for six years.

Kabeer Yousaf was sentenced today after being found guilty in January of two counts of blackmail, conspiracy to commit misconduct in a judicial or public office and committing misconduct in a judicial or public office.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard during the three month trial how the 31-year-old, of Barley Lane, Ilford, was a PCSO for the Green Street Safer Neighbourhoods Team in 2012 when he arranged to have sex with a woman at a brothel in Corporation Street before later demanding £2,000 from her.

He also blackmailed a woman who ran a brothel in St Stephen’s Road, who agreed to pay him £500 a fortnight to stop it being shut down.

Yousaf was arrested in January 2014 and was remanded in custody. He resigned from his job as a PCSO the following month.

Det Chief Insp Phil Brewer said: “Kabeer Yousaf held a trusted position in the Newham community, which he exploited to abuse vulnerable women.

“Yousaf’s actions have undermined everything that the Met stands for and the Met will do everything in its power to ensure that those few police staff and officers who commit crimes are brought to court.

“The women that Yousaf blackmailed have shown great courage in working with the police in light of their experience with him.”

Yousaf was sentenced to two years for each of the offences, three to run consecutively and one concurrently.

He was also found not guilty of rape and of conspiracy to control prostitution for gain.