Calgary man faces sex charges involving underage girls

WARNING: This article contains allegations of sexual abuse. It may have implications for people who have experienced sexual violence or know someone who has.

Calgary police have charged a man with multiple sex crimes, including luring and child pornography. Officers allege he sexually abused and exploited multiple underage girls after meeting them online.

According to investigators, in January 2024, police received reports that a teenage girl had met an unknown man online and, after agreeing to meet in person, was sexually exploited and abused.

According to a press release from the Calgary Police Service (CPS), police allege the teenage girl spent time in the man’s car, during which he offered her alcohol in exchange for sexual acts.

According to police, the girl reported the incident to her mother, who then called police.

Following an investigation by the CPS Child Abuse Unit and the Southern Alberta Integrated Child Exploitation Team, five additional girls, ranging in age from 12 to 16, were identified after reporting similar incidents.

According to police, the suspect was unknown to the girls but had befriended them online through social media apps before arranging to meet.

According to police, the man offered alcohol and marijuana in exchange for sexual acts.

Hammad Shaikh, 24, of Calgary, has been charged with five counts of sexual assault, sexual assault by strangulation, five counts of sexual exploitation, four counts of sexual interference, four counts of luring, two counts of accessing child pornography, two counts of possessing child pornography and making child pornography.

Shaikh is due to appear in court on September 10.