Sohaib Aslam 51

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A Slough man who attempted to arrange and pay for sexual services with a child has been jailed for three years following an operation by police.

Sohaib Aslam, 50, of Ditton Park Road was sentenced at Brighton Crown Court on Friday (January 13) after being found guilty by a unanimous verdict.

On November 4, 2021, Aslam searched an adult services website in order to locate an escort for sexual services, where he found an advert which offered a child for sexual exploitation.

Aslam replied to the message and arranged to meet the child at a location in Windsor, agreeing a price of £100 for sex with the child.

However, the child did not exist.

On his way to the meeting, he was intercepted by South East Regional Organised Crime Unit officers and arrested, and was found in possession of the £100 which he was planning to use to pay for sex.

Police added that no child was ever at risk during the operation, and have released screenshots showing Aslam’s interactions with a person he thought was arranging the meeting with the child.

After a guilty verdict was reached after a two-day trial, Aslam was sentenced to three years imprisonment’ given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Colin Haynes, of SEROCU, said: “This should serve as a warning to anyone looking to arrange this sort of meeting. You can never be sure of who you are actually messaging.

“If you engage in this sort of conversation online, and look to arrange meetings of this nature, you could be arrested and face time in prison, which will have a destructive impact on your life and career, as well as having a huge effect on your family.

“We will not tolerate those who look to exploit children for sexual purposes and will do everything we can to disrupt them.”