A man has been jailed for child sex offences after police tracked him down to a mechanic’s workshop in Canada.

Mohammed Schwitters, from Birmingham, sexually abused a child over a period of seven years starting when the girl was just 10-years-old.

It happened between 2010 and 2017 and police arrested Schwitters when the offences were reported to themin 2017.

Schwitters, aged 55, skipped the country during the investigation – but officers from the Public Protection Unit worked over the next three years to track him down.  

Police finally caught up with him on 1 September 2020 - working together with the Canadian Authorities - they tracked the mobile phone number and bank accounts he used to a mechanic’s workshop in Toronto.

He was extradited back to the UK and appeared at Birmingham Crown Court on the 10 December 2021 where he pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault on a child, three counts of attempted rape and three counts of assault by penetration.

This week (Friday 4 March), Schwitters was jailed for 18 years; he will remain on the Sex Offender Register for life. 

Detective Constable Kat Sands said: “This case really highlights how we take reports of sexual abuse very seriously and will work with survivors, help get them the support they need, and work with them to bring offenders to justice.

“It is never too late to report sexual abuse and we will leave no stone unturned to get justice.

“While this sentence can never undo what happened, I hope the victim will find some comfort in knowing justice has been served.”

If you have been affected by this report and find this upsetting, or if you just want to talk to someone, The Survivors Trust is there for you. Call them on 08088 010818.