Cardiff Crown Court sentenced Najib Arab to seven years in custody on 1 July 2025, with at least two-thirds of that term to be served before release and a further two years on extended licence.[1] Arab also received two concurrent 10-month sentences for the drug offences and a slavery and trafficking prevention order.[1] Arab pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis between 1 March and 17 August 2024 and of ketamine between 1 March and 30 May 2024, the Crown Prosecution Service said.[2] Arab denied the modern slavery offence and was convicted by a jury at Cardiff Crown Court in April 2025.[1] Judge Lucy Crowther found Arab dangerous and said he presented a risk, in particular to young females under 18.[1]

Arab met the girl after she messaged him on Snapchat, gave her cannabis, and showed her how to split the drugs into bags and hide them.[1] He sent taxis to bring her to his address, where she split cannabis into bags and learned to hide deals and collect money from buyers.[2] On one occasion she was told to bag ketamine into individual deals and was given some of that drug to use.[2] Police found the girl, who cannot be named, in the back of Arab’s house when they raided the property in May 2024.[1] The court heard a victim personal statement in which the girl said she had been living in care and that Arab had “taken advantage” of that vulnerability.[1] He had given her “food, shelter and drugs”, had sex with her, and given her the initial impression that he “genuinely cared” for her.[1] In court she said she kept returning to him because she was “worried about the repercussions if I didn’t”.[1] The court heard that the girl had lied about her age, and that Arab had also lied, saying he was 17, while documents seen by the authorities put his age anywhere between 27 and 33.[1] William Chipperfield, defending, said Arab arrived in the UK as a refugee and that “to an extent, he himself has been a victim of trafficking”.[1]

Judge Crowther said Arab clearly “had a very destructive effect” on the teenage girl, who “still struggles with confidence and trust in others”.[1] The CPS said Arab lured a vulnerable child into his illegal trade by giving her free drugs.[1] The CPS said Arab denied using the girl in his drug dealing, but a jury convicted him of a modern slavery offence after hearing the available evidence.[2]