Shocking Footage Shows Security Guard Leading Girl, 3, Away To Allegedly Assault Her

A mall security guard in Australia who was reportedly caught on camera leading a three-year-old girl into a stairwell for a sex act is facing up to four and a half years behind bars.

A jury previously found Mohammad Hassan Al Bayati, 30, took the young girl into a stairwell at DFO Homebush in December 2016 and masturbated in front of her during an assault that lasted approximately 11 minutes, according to News.com.au.

The shocking footage, obtained by 10 News First, appears to show the security guard leading the girl by the hand away from the shopping center playground.

The child's seven-year-old sister was reportedly in the same children's play area, and her mother was shopping nearby.

According to News.com.au, Al Bayati had received a report that the girl was unattended and distressed at the shopping center playground. When he found the child, he took her by the hand and is reportedly seen on the video walking with her just before 1:30 p.m.

Several minutes later, he walked her back to the playground. The court heard that, during the assault, Al Bayati reportedly received sexual gratification.

On Tuesday, NSW District Court Judge John Pickering sentenced Al-Bayati to four and a half years behind bars for kidnapping, indecency, and indecent assault.

The judge said the child had been "quite remarkable" to report the crimes. When speaking to police, the girl reportedly described the assault, stating Al Bayati, "Said I have to kiss his bottom, but I didn't want to".

When questioned, the former security guard, whose DNA was reportedly found on the victim's underwear, denied any wrongdoing and told police he had been helping the child look for her mother.

In court, the judge said that when Al Bayati found the child's mother, he dared to lecture her about the danger of leaving a child unattended.

"The gall of the offender to lecture the mother about the dangers and risks of leaving her in the play area when he ended up being the greatest risk is one of the most curious parts in this matter," Judge Pickering said.

"Any mother should be entitled to leave their children in a busy shopping center and not have any belief or expectation that someone who is actually there to look after the interests of people shopping in the center will then create harm in themselves."

Al Bayati was found guilty in May after a previous trial ended in the jury being unable to reach a verdict.

In a victim impact statement read in court earlier this month, the three year old's mother spoke of the devastating impact the ordeal had had on her child. She said their family life had been "destroyed" by the attack and her child continues to have nightmares.

"This tragedy squeezed life, positive outlook, trust, and happiness out of us in a way that is hard to describe," she stated. She said she and her family were focusing on teaching the child "not every man in uniform is a predator."

Judge Pickering reportedly considered Al Bayati's Iraqi refugee status and numerous traumatic incidents he reportedly experienced as a child.

Al Bayati will serve a minimum sentence of two and a half years behind bars and will be eligible for parole in mid-2021.

Read more: News.com.au, 10 News First