Two men who repeatedly sexually abused a young boy in a Tower Hamlets shop have been jailed.

Hannan Ullah of Longbridge Road, Barking and Mohammed Shahabir Alom of Ashdown Walk, Isle of Dogs were sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday (January 28).

Ullah, 57, and Alom, 62, abused the boy on four separate occasions between January 15 and February 2 in 2018.

The shop where the abuse took place has since been closed down.

Det Con Fatima Ahmad, the investigating officer from the Met's Central East basic command unit, said: "These two men prayed on an innocent young boy to fulfil their sexual gratification.

"I would like to praise the bravery of the victim who came forward and gave evidence which has resulted in putting them behind bars."

The court heard how the former shop owner Ullah and shopkeeper Alom befriended the boy, who spent time in their store, then went on to abuse him.

All the offences occurred at the shop in the Westferry area of Tower Hamlets - sometimes in a storage room.

After the final offence, which was witnessed by other boys, the victim told his mother what had happened and it was reported to police.

On March 8 that year, police went to the shop and arrested Ullah, who was later bailed, before Alom was interviewed under caution on March 20.

Both men were charged in May 2019 - Ullah with sexual activity with a child and Alom with three counts of sexual touching of a boy under 13.

They were found guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court on November 26 last year, following a four-day trial.

They were both jailed for two years and four months, with 14 months of each sentence to be served on licence.

Both men also received indefinite restraining orders prohibiting them from directly or indirectly contacting the victim.