Man who sexually assaulted girl on bail jailed

Police said Waseem Ullah changed his plea due to the "indisputable evidence"

A "depraved" man who sexually assaulted a young girl in the back of his car while on police bail for sending explicit messages to another underage child has been jailed.

Waseem Ullah from Bolton, Greater Manchester, had been arrested and bailed in May 2022 for offering a child cash to "chill with him" and asking her for photos.

Two years later, the 28-year-old drove another young girl through the West Pennine Moors, where he sexually assaulted her.

Ullah pleaded guilty to four sex offences and breaching his bail and was sentenced for a total of ten years in jail at Bolton Crown Court.

The court heard Ullah was reported to Greater Manchester Police in May 2022 by the mother of the young girl who discovered his sexually explicit messages.

These included invitations to meet, where he offered £20 for an hour or £40 for two, and a message that read, "see me sometimes and I pay u and u can get stuff with it".

Ullah persisted, asking for photos, despite the girl saying she was underage and did not want to meet him, the court heard.

He was arrested and then remained on conditional police bail for two years before he used a fake name to arrange to meet another underage girl via social media.

'Persistent attempts'

She was reported missing on 7 June 2024, after Ullah drove her around Bolton before sexually assaulting her at the moors.

The girl later told police what happened and officers traced the number used to contact her to a phone registered to Ullah.

Two days later Ullah was arrested in Bolton after he was spotted emptying and cleaning his car.

Despite entering an initial not guilty plea, extensive phone and number plate evidence left him "little choice" but to admit the crimes, a police spokeswoman said.

PC Becky Greenwood said Ullah had shown no remorse for his "persistent attempts to exploit" the children.

She said she wanted to thank the girls who "bravely disclosed Ullah's depraved behaviour", adding: "We know that this sentence goes no way to make up for what Ullah subjected them to, but we hope they can draw some comfort from the fact he is now behind bars."