A FORMER Berkshire mayor has been jailed for helping her son hide key evidence during a police investigation into the rape of a 15-year-old girl.Nahid Ijaz, 61, who most recently served as High Sheriff of Bracknell Forest, was sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice at Winchester Crown Court.Her son, Dewan Khan (41 years old), was convicted of raping the girl and has already admitted trying to hide the evidence. He was jailed for 12 years and given an extended license period of five years.The court heard that Ijaz delayed officers at her home and spoke to her son in Urdu, giving him time to hide his mobile phone, which was believed to contain footage of the assault. The device was never recovered.Khan had supplied the girl with drugs and alcohol before she lost consciousness.
She later woke up in the car with no memory of what happened. Prosecutors said he filmed the assault and later used the video to threaten her.While sentencing Ijaz, Judge Rufus Taylor said she prioritized her son over justice.“I chose to protect him,” he said, adding that her actions created a “real risk” that Khan could have avoided prosecution, The Times (UK) reported.In her victim impact statement, the teenager described the lasting impact on her mental health.
“My mental health was all over the place with flashbacks and not being able to sleep,” she said. “In June 2025 I tried to commit suicide and ended up in the hospital. I just wanted to end my life so the pain would go away.”Detective Constable Lee Clement said the victim had shown “great courage” throughout the case.“This attack continues to have a significant impact on her mental health,” he added. He added: “Khan targeted a vulnerable teenage girl and, along with her mother, attempted to hide evidence to obstruct our investigation.”Ijaz, who had no previous convictions, previously worked as a councilor in Bracknell Forest. Following the case, the council removed her official photo and said it would review how she and her son obtained taxi licences.Khan will serve a minimum of eight years before he can be considered for parole and is subject to a long-term sexual harm prevention order and an indefinite restraining order.
