Locations
Rochdale, Greater Manchester
Description
A man who lied about his age to meet up with what he thought was a 13-year-old girl was found by police at Piccadilly railway station with condoms stashed in his pocket, a court has heard.
Kashif Mahmood, 37, told the social media account, which had the profile of a teenage girl, that he was 25-years-old. He began engaging in sexual communication with the account via Snapchat, telling her he wanted to 'kiss and cuddle' before asking if she 'wanted to do other stuff'.
Mahmood had requested the location of the child and first asked to be friends, before the conversation progressed and he suggested meeting up with her, Minshull Street Crown Court was told.
When arriving at the train station, after booking a train ticket for the account to meet with what he believed to be a teenager, police located Mahmood in his locked car, when he began 'desperately trying to remove content from his mobile phone' before the windows were smashed.
Peter Malone, prosecuting, said following an interaction between the pair, where the 'girl' said she was at school and had to return to class, checks were made and the account talking to the 'girl' "was associated with Mr Mahmood and an address in Rochdale.
Further interactions were recorded again in June and shared with police and the Regional Organised Crime Unit Network (ROCU). The court was then told how Mahmood had sent a train ticket to the account, for the girl to meet him at Piccadilly station on June 27.
"It was suspected that this was done for the purpose of sexual activity," Mr Malone added. "At 11.40, a traffic officer saw a vehicle linked to the defendant near to the pick up point.
"Officers made their way to this area and blocked the BMW. The officer told the defendant that he was a police officer and tried to open the driver's door."
The court was told that Mr Mahmood was ‘trying to do something with his mobile phone’, which officers had suspected was him 'trying to delete information', and so a decision was made to smash the window to arrest him.
Two mobile phones were seized, along with cash. Officers also found two condoms in his back pocket, the court was told. Messages and photos were found on the chat log when police downloaded information from his device.
Mahmood, who had no previous convictions, was bailed on June 29 last year with conditions, but was arrested in October for breaching his bail.
In mitigation, Raj Chopra said that Mahmood, of Royds Street, Rochdale, who had moved to the UK in 2010, had 'fallen into depression' before the incident and was taking medication, meaning that his 'thinking was diminished'.
Mr Chopra said that Mahmood had described the incident as a 'silly mistake' and that he claimed he was dyslexic, adding that family had encouraged him to use social media to improve his social life.
"He said he had never used social media before that," Mr Chopra told the court. "He said this was completely out of character and that his family had suggested he join social media. He is very remorseful for his behaviour and accepts his actions were a silly mistake."
His Honour Judge Jason MacAdam responded: "You described your defending to a probation officer as a silly mistake. That is nonsense.
"In June, using Snapchat, you communicated with a person that made it clear she was 13 years of age. You groomed her, making reference to the two of you being intimate and arranged to meet at Piccadilly.
"You claimed you're dyslexic and that a photo made her look older. If all that is the case, then why would you tell her not to tell her mother who she was meeting?
"When you were arrested you were found to have two condoms in your pocket. The evidence against you is overwhelming from the communications you sent.
"I concur that you don't take responsibility for your offending. Because you continue to minimise your offending, I cannot accept your claim of being remorseful."
Mahmood, 37, appeared at Minshull Crown Court on Monday (February 10) where he was sentenced to two years and seven months imprisonment after pleading guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child, arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sex offence and attempting to meet a child following grooming.
He was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
NWROCU detectives took over the investigation and arrested Mahmood in Manchester City Centre the following day (27 June 2024) while he was waiting in his car to meet a child he had groomed online.
Detective Constable Adam Cronshaw from the NWROCU said: "When we arrived to arrest Mahmood, his car was locked, and he was desperately trying to remove content from his mobile phone.
"We were forced to smash the window and remove him from the vehicle to seize his phone before he could delete any evidence of his actions. When we searched Mahmood, we seized two condoms from his back pocket which clearly demonstrates his intent.
"Offenders like Mahmood believe they can hide behind a computer or phone screen and avoid conviction, but this is clearly not the case. We collaborate with law enforcement across the country to safeguard children from danger, whether it occurs in person or online.
“I hope this conviction will act as a reminder that there are no borders when it comes to sexual abuse, it can happen anywhere and the impact is devastating. If you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, or know of a child being abused, please come forward and report this to police."