Cop reveals how she helped put vile Doncaster rapist behind bars

The police officer who helped put a vile child sex offender who abused young girls in Doncaster by plying them with alcohol before raping them has revealed how she helped put him behind bars.

Bawan Harwe, a 28-year-old Iraqi national, was last week jailed for 32 years for his crimes while accomplice Sharam Muhamadi, 21, originally from Iran, is being sought by South Yorkshire Police after going on the run.

Both worked at Hexthorpe Mini Market in Hexthorpe Road, luring girls from Barnsley to Doncaster with the promise of vapes and e-cigarettes before being plied with alcohol and raped.

Detected by the multi-agency BSAFE team while safeguarding a missing person, the investigation was led by Detective Constable Alessio Godhard from SYP’s Child Exploitation Team in Barnsley while Detective Sergeant Jude Proffitt supervised the investigation.

DS Proffitt has two decades’ experience in safeguarding and investigations and, she has shared why the job is important to her and how people like Harwe are caught.

"When people ask me why I do the job, I often pause before I answer,” she said. “Not because I don’t know, but because there are so many reasons why I am committed to safeguarding and investigating on South Yorkshire Police’s Child Exploitation Team in Barnsley.

"Keeping children safe is at the centre of my commitment, but it’s also about listening, building trust, and helping young people secure justice when they’ve experienced things no one should.

"One of the biggest parts of our role is seeing what others might not.

“The signs of child sexual exploitation aren’t always obvious.

“They can be hidden in among common teenage behaviours – like withdrawing from family activities and going missing.

“In our team, those signs are seen for what they are.

“Every concern, every report is listened to, believed, and acted upon.

"The young people we work with often don’t recognise themselves as victims.

“Abusers manipulate victims into believing that grooming and exploitation are an expression of ‘love’.

“That’s why trust is everything.

“Our work isn’t about quick wins - it’s about consistently showing up, listening, believing, and ensuring they know what’s happened to them is not their fault."

“Thankfully, we are not alone in our efforts to prevent and respond to child sexual exploitation.

“Across South Yorkshire, we have Child Exploitation Teams in Barnsley, Doncaster, Sheffield, and Rotherham.

“The teams collaborate with local authorities and other relevant partner agencies to identify risk at the earliest opportunity and take appropriate action to safeguard the vulnerable.

"While safeguarding victims and survivors is always our priority, we are equally focused on those who cause harm.

“These investigations can be complex and take time, but we remain committed to pursuing offenders and bringing them to justice.

“That means building evidence-based cases, empowering victims to support the judicial process, and working tirelessly to prevent crime.

“"The job can be challenging, but there are so many moments which remind me why I do it.

“When a young person feels safe enough to report what has happened to them, when we identify a suspect who’s been referred to only by nickname, when we make an arrest, when the CPS authorise charges, and not forgetting hearing those guilty verdicts and prison sentences.

"For me, working in the Barnsley Child Exploitation Team is about making a difference where it matters most. It’s about standing alongside some of the most vulnerable members of our community and making sure they’re heard, supported, and protected.

“It’s about never giving up on a child who needs help.”

Hawre was found guilty following a four-week long trial at Sheffield Crown Court, for a string of offences relating to child sexual exploitation.

During the trial, Muhamadi, was also found guilty of multiple modern slavery offences.

The investigation began in August 2024, after one victim courageously disclosed the abuse she had endured. Six more girls were then identified through extensive enquiries.

Hawre used the fake name 'Karo', with Muhamadi using 'Jack', in all communication with the girls, initially making contact with them through a social media messaging platform where they offered them e-cigarettes and vapes.

The two men then arranged to meet the girls in person, where the girls were transported from Barnsley to Doncaster.

The jury heard how the girls were given alcohol and drugs, after which six of the girls were raped by Hawre.

A manhunt is currently underway to locate Muhamadi and a South Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “We will not stop until we find him.

Muhamadi had been remanded in custody between charge and the beginning of the trial, when his defence team’s application for bail was granted by the court.

Upon his failure to appear, South Yorkshire Police immediately began a manhunt but, due to the court’s reporting restriction, police had been unable to publicly appeal for help until last week.

Anyone who sees Muhamadi is asked not to approach him but to call 999 quoting ‘South Yorkshire Police incident number 610 of 21 May 2026.