An Aberdeen paedophile who travelled more than 300 miles to meet up with a 13-year-old girl has been jailed.
Ali Asghar appeared in the dock at York Crown Court where he admitted grooming the child by communicating with her and sending her indecent images and videos of himself.
The court heard the 20-year-old also requested that the girl send him sexual images of herself in return.
Asghar then travelled 334 miles from his home in Aberdeen to York to meet the girl in December last year
However, police were alerted, and they arrested Asghar upon his arrival in the English city.
Asghar was charged with engaging in sexual communication with a child, causing or inciting a child to watch an act of sexual activity, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and meeting a child following sexual grooming.
He pleaded guilty to the offences at York Crown Court on January 15 this year.
Today he was sentenced to five years and three months in prison, and issued with a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order, both lasting 10 years.
Victim says she’s struggling to trust people
In a personal statement read to the court, the victim described the impact of Asghar’s crimes.
She stated: “I am struggling to trust people, I don’t know why they want to talk to me, I am scared that other people will do this to me… I now feel that I can’t trust anyone as I don’t know what their intentions are.”
After the sentencing hearing, DC Rebecca Hebblethwaite, from North Yorkshire Police, said: “The victim in this case has been extremely brave in helping to convict Asghar.
“Thanks to her courage, we’ve been able to ensure he has faced justice, and prevent him from harming other children.”
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