Man jailed after pulling girl, 13, into bush and attacking her as she roller skated in Basildon
Mohammed Younas warned her not to scream and claimed he had a knife and a gun
Last updated 6th Aug 2026
A man has been jailed for over nine years after he dragged a 13-year-old girl into a bush and attacked her in Basildon.
The girl had spent the day shopping and roller-skating with a friend before the pair headed home on April 30.
Having waved off her friend, the girl continued to make her way to her house.
It was as she reached Parkside that Mohammed Younas, 31, approached her and began to follow her.
He asked if she "wanted a push", which she declined.
Younas then grabbed the girl, covered her mouth and forced her along a path towards an area of bushes.
There, he placed her on the ground, warned her not to scream and claimed he had a knife and a gun.
The incident lasted a few moments before Younas threw the girl's phone and ran off.
The victim courageously made her way home and immediately told her mother what had happened.
The police were called and an investigation began.
Arrested on his doorstep
Detectives and specialist officers launched a series of enquiries, including going through forensic evidence, house-to-house work and patrols as they worked to find the man responsible.
By 3 May, DNA recovered from the victim's shoe had been analysed and matched to Younas, identifying him as the prime suspect.
Officers raced to his address in Bearsted Drive, Pitsea, and arrested him on his doorstep.
Searches of his home uncovered evidence of drug dealing, including a burner-style mobile phone, cocaine and cannabis plants.
Around 132g of cannabis, valued at approximately £780, and 66g of cocaine, valued at between £2,800 and £3,400, were recovered.
During interview, Younas initially denied doing anything wrong.
In a prepared statement, he falsely claimed the victim had rollerbladed into his car, saying he got out to tell her to be careful, and denied pushing her into a bush or making her watch a sexual act.
However, his account was entirely undermined by the consistency of the victim's account and the DNA evidence linking him directly to the offence.
Faced with the overwhelming evidence, Younas ultimately admitted the offences.
Younas - a British-born national - admitted a range of serious offences, including kidnap, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, being concerned in the supply of cocaine, possession of criminal property and possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis.
Younas was jailed for a total of nine years and two months with an extended licence of three years at Basildon Crown Court on Wednesday 5 August.
"No matter how hard I try, it is always in my mind"
In an impact statement, the victim said:
“I think that this will affect me for the rest of my life. I don’t know how I’m supposed to trust anyone.
“I worry about how this may affect future relationships for me because anyone could do what that man done to me.
“I try to forget every day. I try not to think about it. But no matter how hard I try, it is always in my mind.”
"My daughter was listened to, believed, and treated with care and compassion"
The victim's mother said:
"I am incredibly grateful for the speed and professionalism of the police response to this incident.
“At the time, everything felt overwhelming, but I was reassured by how quickly officers acted and by the significant police presence in the area.
“From the very beginning, my daughter was listened to, believed, and treated with care and compassion.
“The swift actions taken by officers helped her recovery, giving her confidence that what had happened to her was being taken seriously.
"The suspect was identified and arrested quickly, and I am thankful that he will now be brought to justice. Throughout the investigation, the support provided by the police has been amazing, and we are so grateful.
“The judge showed great care and understanding throughout the case, and I really appreciated the way the proceedings were handled.
“I would like to thank PC Lily Dyer.
“She has been amazing throughout this investigation and has shown such kindness and support to my daughter.
“The relationship she built with her gave her the confidence to move forward, and I honestly don't think my daughter would have returned to school when she did without Lily's support.
“I am also pleased that the court has imposed both a restraining order and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
“Knowing that measures are now in place to monitor and restrict this man provides reassurance that steps have been taken to protect others from harm in the future. I truly believe we have prevented someone from going on to harm other children.”
"The courage shown by this young girl cannot be overstated"
PC Dyer, of our Child Abuse Investigation Team, said:
“This was a deeply distressing incident for a young girl and her family, who found themselves dealing with something no-one should ever have to experience.
"From the moment this offence was reported, officers across a number of teams worked relentlessly to identify the person responsible, while ensuring the victim and her family received the support and safeguarding they needed.
"The courage shown by this young girl cannot be overstated.
“Despite the ordeal she had been through, she immediately told her mum what had happened, which allowed us to begin our investigation without delay.
"Cases of this nature are thankfully rare, but when they do occur, we treat them with the utmost seriousness.
“Every available investigative opportunity was pursued, from forensic examinations through to extensive enquiries on the ground, resulting in Younas being identified, arrested and brought before the courts within days.
"Even when faced with overwhelming evidence, Younas initially sought to deny his actions and blame the victim.
“However, the strength of the evidence gathered left him with no option but to admit what he had done.
"I hope today's sentence provides some measure of comfort to the victim and her family. I would also like to thank them for the trust they placed in us throughout the investigation.”