Police launch manhunt for predator, 21, who went on the run after being convicted of abusing young girls

By LETTICE BROMOVSKY, NEWS REPORTER Published: 22:06, 9 June 2026 | Updated: 22:27, 9 June 2026 Police have launched a manhunt for a convicted predator who vanished after being found guilty of trafficking teenage girls for sexual exploitation. Sharam Muhamadi, 21, absconded after being granted bail during a trial at Sheffield Crown Court in which he and another man were convicted of abusing vulnerable girls as young as 12. South Yorkshire Police said officers are carrying out extensive enquiries to trace Muhamadi, who is believed to have travelled to Birmingham between May 16 and May 18. His last confirmed sighting was in Birmingham city centre on May 18. Muhamadi, from Doncaster, failed to attend court after being released on bail and was convicted in his absence of two counts of trafficking girls for exploitation. Assistant chief constable Hayley Barnett said: 'We are wholly focussed on finding Muhamadi and ensuring he faces the consequences of his actions. 'Officers have been relentlessly pursuing all lines of enquiry. We are keeping an open mind of his whereabouts. We believe he is still in the country, but if he is found abroad, we will seek the government's help in doing everything we can to extradite him. 'We will not stop until we find him, and we will ensure these young girls get the justice they deserve.' Sharam Muhamadi, 21, absconded after being granted bail during a trial at Sheffield Crown Court in which he and another man were convicted of abusing vulnerable girls as young as 12 Bawan Hawre, 28, formerly from Doncaster, was found guilty of rape, grooming and false imprisonment charges Police believe Muhamadi remains in the UK but have not ruled out the possibility that he could attempt to leave the country. The conviction followed an investigation launched by South Yorkshire Police in August 2024 after a missing teenage girl told authorities she was being sexually exploited. As detectives examined the allegations, six more victims aged between 12 and 16 were identified. The jury heard Muhamadi and his co-defendant Bawan Hawre used fake names to contact girls on social media, offering them vapes, e-cigarettes and money. After arranging meetings, the pair would provide the girls with alcohol and drugs before abusing them, jurors were told. The court also heard the victims were transported between Barnsley and Doncaster in order to be exploited. Hawre, 28, stood trial and was convicted of sexual offences against seven teenage girls. He was found guilty of six counts of trafficking, six counts of rape, as well as grooming and false imprisonment offences. Muhamadi was convicted in his absence of two counts of trafficking girls for exploitation. Both men are due to be sentenced on June 11. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.