WAKEFIELD MAN JAILED FOR ATTEMPTING TO GROOM A TEEN ONLINE
Ali Irshad, a 26-year-old man from Wakefield, was convicted by a jury of attempting to meet a child for sexual activity after grooming and attempted sexual communication with a child.He joined a dating app shortly after arriving in Wakefield from Pakistan on a student visa, initially claiming he sought to make friends.
However, he engaged in conversations with what he believed was a 14-year-old girl, which were conducted daily over seven weeks.
The court was told that the profile was actually run by a paedophile hunter group aiming to catch sex offenders.
Evidence presented showed Irshad believed the girl was 14 and discussed topics like school, her mother, and household rules.
He told her she was cute, said he loved her, and wanted to kiss her.
He also sent sexually explicit messages.
The court heard that plans were made for her to visit him in Wakefield, clearly aiming for a sexual relationship.
Despite suspecting the profile was a decoy, Irshad continued to communicate and was 'stung' by the group managing the profile, begging them not to call the police.
Nevertheless, they called the police and prosecuted him.
During sentencing, Judge Robin Mairs said Irshad had believed he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl, but he knew or believed she was a child and that such contact was illegal.
The judge stated that Irshad tried to blame cultural barriers and claimed he had no sexual intentions initially.
However, the judge emphasized that he deliberately preyed on the child's vulnerability, and the cultural excuses were not justified.
Irshad was sentenced to 21 months in prison.
The judge also remarked that Irshad, a master's student and an intelligent man, should understand the gravity of his actions.
