former adviser convicted for planning sexual offence against child
A former policy adviser to Barack Obama's administration has been convicted for travelling to Britain with the intent to commit a heinous crime against a nine-year-old child.
Rahamim "Rami" Shy, aged 47, an investment banker who played a role in coordinating the US government's counter-terrorism response, made the journey from New York to Bedfordshire to meet an English schoolgirl.
During the trial at Luton Crown Court, it was revealed that Shy had spent over a month planning the trip and had packed his suitcases with cuddly toys and condoms.
Shy engaged in graphic discussions about the "unspeakable acts" he intended to carry out, believing he was communicating with the girl's grandmother.
However, the grandmother was actually an online decoy created by an undercover officer from Bedfordshire Police.
In his messages, Shy indicated that the girl was "a tad late" in commencing sexual activity at her age and expressed it was an "honour" to be regarded as "her first".
Upon landing at Gatwick on 23 February last year, he drove to Bedford to meet the undercover officer, where he was promptly arrested.
Shy's legal team attempted to argue that he was jurisdictionally exempt from prosecution in the UK since he was in the US when the messages were sent.
However, the Crown Prosecution Service successfully demonstrated that English courts have jurisdiction over offences committed abroad, which are intended to result in criminal acts within England.
