Zain Shah sentenced for sexual assault of 12-year-old girl

Zain Shah has been sentenced for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl he groomed over a two-month period.

The court heard how Shah befriended the young girl after meeting her at Heaton Park in August 2013.

Shah (born 27/02/91), of Blackley, pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a female under 13 at Manchester Crown Court.

Today, Tuesday 11 November 2014, Shah was handed a three-year Community Punishment Order requiring him to attend a sexual offending treatment programme, five years on the Sexual Offender register and was also issued with a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for three years, preventing him from contacting or attempting to contact any female under the age of 16 years.

The court heard how Shah befriended the young girl after meeting at Heaton Park in August 2013.

Shah knew she was just 12-years-old, but that did not stop him texting and ringing daily, telling her that he loved her and wanted to marry and have sex with her.

Several times they arranged to meet at a car park during the early stages of September and it was here where the abuse took place, with Shah kissing the victim and sexually assaulting her as she tried to push him away.

When the victim’s mother discovered what he had done, she immediately reported Shah to the police.

Detective Sergeant Alex Wild said: “This was a classic grooming case, with Shah using emotionally charged language to suggest to this young girl that they were in a real, normal and healthy relationship.

“Of course, that is absolutely absurd.

“The reality is a 23-year-old man manipulated a child in order to get what he wanted, even pretending to be an undercover police officer who had been shot in the line of duty in order to win her confidence and sympathy.

“We hope that this case demonstrates that we take these incidents very seriously indeed, regardless of ethnicity, of religion or any other factors.

“Abuse is abuse and I want to try an assure the public that we will punish those people who exploit young people and do our best to make sure they face justice for their crimes.”