A harrowing investigation exposes how rogue vape shops and mini marts can be used by abusers to exploit children.
In a two-part series, Channel 4 News has revealed predators are using children’s interest in vapes to abuse them.
Last month, two trading standards officers from Dudley Council – Kuldeep Maan and Richard Timmins – told Channel 4: ‘We have complaints that vapes and illegal goods are perhaps given free on some occasions to children in return for sexual favours.’
Now, for the first time, Erin – not her real name – has spoken out about how she was raped when she was just 14-years-old at the back of a vape shop in Cheam, South London. A video of the story can be viewed below.
The owner of the shop, Iqbal Singh, 45, lured Erin and her friends to a backroom, offering them free vapes, some of which were laced with THC, and alcohol.
‘I think he was plying us with free vapes, free THC, free weed, free alcohol, free tobacco. I feel like I was the payment,’ Erin said. ‘I’d say the vapes were at the heart of it.’
Erin described how Singh – who’d said his name was ‘Toby’ – positioned himself as a trusted adult, messaging her directly and offering lifts, while her mother noticed changes at home. Vapes appeared in Erin’s bedroom and secret meetings were arranged.
The abuse culminated after a party one night, when Erin, too frightened to go home, contacted Singh who proceeded to rape her in the backroom of his shop.
At the time, Singh was on bail for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old at another store he previously owned. Despite police investigation, he was able to open a new shop and continue operating unchecked.
‘I think it would be extremely naive to think that he’s not done this to other children,’ Erin said. She is calling for mandatory DBS checks for shop owners and closer monitoring of mini marts to prevent further abuse.
Her mother told Channel 4: ‘She has worked so hard to make sure that you can’t hurt anybody else and that’s why she’s done what she’s done, because we can’t stop what you did to her, but what we can stop is your access to do it to anybody else.’
Singh was convicted of rape and four counts of sexual assault this year. He has received a 22-year extended prison sentence, serving 14 years.
Detective Sergeant Toyene Lait of Metropolitan Police, who led the investigation, described Singh as a ‘dangerous, repetitive predator’ who exploited the shops’ access to school-aged children.
‘He knew exactly what he was doing,’ DS Lait continued. ‘He knew that having vapes and having this kind of business was exactly how he would be able to meet younger children and groom them and gain their trust to get what he wanted.’
DS Lait has urged other potential victims to come forward and, like Erin, has called for stronger safeguards, including background DBS checks for shop owners. ‘If local authorities are getting your applications for these kinds of shops, there needs to be real checks being conducted on these people’s background checks,’ she added.
News of the investigation comes as the government are working to ban the sale of vapes or tobacco to anyone born on or after 1st January 2009. The legislation is undergoing its final checks in the House of Lords and is waiting to receive Royal Assent.
If everything goes to plan, the first age restrictions will take place from 1st January 2027.
Image: Shutterstock
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