Sex attacker who preyed on girl and student jailed

Irtiza Abbas pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault

A man who sexually assaulted a schoolgirl and a university student has been jailed after admitting the attacks.

In the first on 16 January, Irtiza Abbas lurked near Aston University in Birmingham, targeting a 22-year-old woman and following her as she walked alone before carrying out his assault.

Three months later, he grabbed and assaulted a 15-year-old girl as she walked home from school in the Perry Barr area of the city.

Abbas, 25, pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault at Birmingham Crown Court and was sentenced on 5 June to two years in prison.

Abbas was spotted on CCTV following his victims before he struck

After her ordeal, the schoolgirl victim phoned her father who was driving nearby.

They drove around the area and spotted Abbas, but following a scuffle, he fled the scene.

He was arrested at his home in Lozells, Birmingham, on 22 April, and clothing that matched items shown in CCTV footage of the incidents was recovered.

Det Insp Joe Davenport of West Midlands Police said: "We strongly believe due to the nature of the offences that Abbas may have committed more offences.

"CCTV has shown him lingering on the streets and carefully selecting his victims. He would follow them to make sure they were on their own before he struck.

"Although he's pleaded guilty to two offences there's a real timeline gap and we have really strong suspicions that he may have offended again and again."