Bahmani Ahmadi: Hundreds of children linked to sex offence probe

Bahmani Ahmadi used social media to groom some of his victims

A sex offender who "relentlessly pursued" victims as young as 11 online may have assaulted hundreds of girls and young women, police have said.

Bahmani Ahmadi, 22, posed as a 14-year-old named Holly in order to befriend his targets.

He was described as "possibly the most dangerous" offender police had encountered.

Ahmadi will be sentenced in July after he previously admitted a string of charges at Newcastle Crown Court.

He pleaded guilty to 18 counts in all, including sexual assault, grooming, and inciting child prostitution.

The court heard Ahmadi, of Hampstead Road, Benwell, plied his victims with drink.

Northumbria Police Det Supt Steve Barron said he may have targeted hundreds of victims.

He said: "He was using social media to groom children, some as young as 11, with a view to actually meeting those children, taking them to his address and sexually offending against them, typically when they were under the influence of large amounts of alcohol.

"He is possibly the most dangerous person I've come across in 22 years of policing."

The force said investigations were ongoing in a bid to find more victims.