A CONVICTED paedophile who “moved quickly to groom” a 13-year-old girl he saw walking in Newport city centre has been jailed for child abduction

Cardiff Crown Court heard how Jakir Ahmed was also in breach of a sexual harm prevention order after being sent to prison for 40 months in 2016, reduced to 30 months on appeal.

That was for an offence of grooming after he sent sexual messages to a 15-year-old girl on Facebook.

Ahmed, aged 22, of Ruperra Street, Newport, pleaded guilty on that occasion to six counts of causing or inciting a child under 16 into sexual activity.

Prosecutor Timothy Evans said his latest offending happened when he saw a 13-year-old girl, a stranger, wandering in the city centre during the early hours of November 4 this year.

Judge Philip Harris-Jenkins heard how Ahmed befriended the girl, told her loved her and made an attempt to keep her near the house he shared with his family until his parents left so that he could be alone with her.

The girl did not wait around until he could do so, the court was told.

Mr Evans said the defendant pleaded guilty to child abduction and breaching a sexual harm prevention order put in place after his 2016 conviction which had prohibited him from having contact with underage girls.

Stephen Thomas, mitigating, said there had been no planning involved in the offence and added: “There is no previous evidence that he has been trawling Newport city centre.”

His barrister continued: “There were no alcohol or drugs used – this was a chance and thoughtless encounter.

“This is not the case of an older, sophisticated man looking to abduct children.

“No serious harm was caused, nor did he intend to cause serious harm.”

But Judge Harris-Jenkins told Ahmed: “This was a deliberate act that was sexually motivated and committed whilst you were on licence.

“You moved in quickly to groom her. You induced her to go home with you until the path was clear. You sent her love messages.”

He jailed Ahmed for three years and two months, told him he must register as a sex offender indefinitely, made him the subject of a further sexual harm prevention order for 10 years and ordered him to pay a £170 victim surcharge upon his release from prison.