THE PERVERTED BELLY DANCE INSTRUCTOR
An internationally renowned belly-dance teacher who humiliated and then raped a pupil in his home and sexually assaulted two others has been jailed for 13 years.
Shafik Abd El Hamed, 29, who is also a famed ‘whirling dervish’ invited the unsuspecting women to his home for lessons and auditions before subjecting them to ‘humiliating’ sexual acts.
One victim felt said she like ‘throwing herself out of a window’ while another victim was forced to give up dancing which had been her favourite hobby.
The woman, aged 22, was approached by El Hamed in the street and invited to a belly-dancing audition.
She thought would be in a hall of some sort but told to go to his flat in Warburton Street, South Hackney.
The woman was told to get changed in front of him and El Hamed explained he needed to check how quickly she could remove her clothes backstage.
But he then told her: ‘Put my d*** in your mouth’.
At first she refused but El Hamed became more and more aggressive and eventually forced the girl to lie down while he had sex with her for ‘about 30 seconds.’
El Hamed was angered when a victim aged 33 came for a lesson but was unable to comply when he demanded oral sex.
He grabbed her breasts and asked her to ‘Feel his d***’
The terrified woman locked herself in the bathroom to escape him.
His third victim aged 31 went to his flat for a private lesson to brush up on her skills for a show she was appearing in.
El Hamed told her to ‘Give teacher a blow-job,’ which she refused.
The teacher then grabbed her hand and put it inside his trousers.
Judge Simon Freeland QC, told El Hamed: ‘The offences reveal a gross and flagrant breach of trust for your own sexual gratification.
‘You are a demanding and controlling and manipulative character.
‘You had obvious talent as a belly dancer and an apparent international reputation but made loathsome demands of each woman whom were in a vulnerable position.
‘You approached your first victim when she was 22 and asked if she would like to work with you and you asked her if she would like to enter an audition.
‘She expected it to be in a hall and not in private premises. She changed in a room and you watched her and then said she was not performing correctly enough.
‘You persuaded her to take her top off and she tried to cover her breasts with her hair before you demonstrated how you wanted her to walk and you humiliated her.
‘You demanded that you allow her to put your penis in her mouth and she felt in danger and unable to move – she was petrified.
‘She told you that she had been sexually abused as a child in the hope you would feel sorry for her and stop but you did not heed this one jot and you said you did not care and you wanted her to put your penis in her mouth.
‘She said she didn’t want to and you got angry and you were thoroughly intimidating and she was totally petrified.
‘You orally raped her but it didn’t end there because you raped her and told her to lie down and pulled her underwear down and lasted thirty seconds or so.
‘The second victim you showed your controlling influence by saying she wasn’t doing well and she started to cry.
‘What you did was humiliate her and pushed her breasts up and down and started to grope her.
‘You told her you wanted her to ‘Feel your d***’ and she had to lock herself in the bathroom.
‘The third victim was again another gross breach of trust.
‘You asked her if she would ”Give teacher a blow-job” to which she said no but you replied ‘If you do not lick it then I can use hands.’
‘She was embarrassed and this was a gross breach of trust You took her hand and put it inside your trousers and she was petrified by your controlling nature and the sexual activity.
‘There was not only breach of trust but gross intimidation to vulnerable victims and of course ejaculation.
‘There is a pattern of disgraceful abuse on your part.’
Judge Freeland then sentenced El Hamed to serve 13 years in prison gave him an indefinite sexual offences prevention order.
He will never be allowed to teach belly dancing again.
El Hamed still maintains the sexual activity with the victims was all consensual despite being found guilty by a jury in December last year.
He was acquitted of four other counts of rape and a single count of assault by penetration of the third victim.
Reading from personal impact statements, Quentin Hunt prosecuting said: ‘The first victim was so scared at the time that she thought of trying to jump out of the window.
‘The incident has made her feel like nothing and has had suicidal feelings since the break-up of her long-term relationship with her fiancé because of this.
‘The second victim said the assault has made her feel dirty, anxious and on edge and has had to give up dancing which was a social activity she used to enjoy.
‘The third victim has had her confidence undermined and has sought professional help and has now had counselling.’
The teacher was described by various friends and family and former pupils to the court as ‘honest and The hardworking’ and ‘a joy to be around.’
El Hamed of (Flat 67) Warburton House, Warburton Road, South Hackney, east London, was found guilty of two counts of rape, one of sexual assault and a single count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.
