Groomer drove to Telford school from Sheffield to pick up 15-year-old girl
Judge Trevor Meegan said: “Amazingly you even asked her where you could find a local mosque to pray.”
A man who groomed a Telford 15-year-old then drove from Sheffield to pick her up from school has been sentenced.
Awais Sheikh, 28, was sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court after being convicted of one count of meeting a child following sexual grooming.
Sheikh, of East Bawtry Road, Rotherham, had denied the charge but was found guilty of the offence following a trial.
The groomer had initially approached his victim on social media, eventually visiting her in Telford - where he picked her up from school, bought her McDonald’s, bought cannabis, then took her to a secluded spot on the Wrekin where they were found by police - with condoms discovered in the glove compartment.
At a sentencing hearing Rosemary Proctor, prosecuting, told the court that Sheikh had contacted the victim on Instagram and Snapchat in the weeks leading up to October 2024.
Miss Proctor said the victim was sent a friend request by Sheikh, but she initially ignored it.
However, she later accepted the request and the pair started to converse - with Sheikh telling the victim she was “pretty”.
The court was told she had immediately informed the defendant of her age - which was 15 at the time.
Ms Proctor said Sheikh told her he was 25, although he was in fact 27 at the time.
The court was told that during October Sheikh had messaged the victim to tell her he had a day off and that he could come and see her.
Miss Proctor said he travelled from Yorkshire to Wellington, Telford, where he met the girl a short distance from her school, while she was still wearing her school uniform.
The court was told he took her to McDonald’s and bought food before the girl was driven to the Wrekin.
Judge Trevor Meegan, who had presided over the trial, said that Sheikh had also bought cannabis, using the girl’s knowledge of the area to find a dealer.
He added that Sheikh had also asked the girl for the location of the nearest mosque so he could go and pray.
After she told him he drove to the location and left her to wait in his car while he went inside.
Nightmares about the experience
Miss Proctor read a statement to the court from the victim, who said she now fears leaving her house and has nightmares about the experience.
She said: “I still think about it every day to the point it will send me into a panic attack and I start to cry.”
The victim also told how she had been scared to speak about the ordeal in case people judge her for what happened.
Other long-term impacts of the experience were detailed to the court.
Judge Meegan heard that Sheikh has two previous convictions, including a four-month suspended sentence order handed down for possession with intent to supply a class B drug.
The Telford offence meant he had breached the suspended sentence.
Siobhan Cawkwell, mitigating, said Sheikh is in a stable, age-appropriate relationship, has a job as a care worker, and highlighted references from family, and his partner.
‘Amazingly you even asked her where you could find a local mosque to pray’
Sentencing Judge Meegan said: “This is a case of travelling some distance, a long way in fact, from South Yorkshire to the Telford & Wrekin area to meet this girl to engage in sexual activity with her. She was 15 at the time. You were 27.
“She told you she was 15 and you knew her birthday. You lied as to your age and said you were 25.”
He added: “Amazingly you even asked her where you could find a local mosque to pray.”
Judge Meegan said Sheikh and his victim were later found by police.
He said: “You went to The Wrekin, to a secluded spot, well-known for illegal sexual activity.”
He added: “When police attended condoms were found in the glove box.”
Judge Meegan said he did not believe Sheikh had shown any remorse.
He said: “You do not accept any responsibility for your offending.”
Sheikh was jailed for a total of 24 months - 22 months for the charge of meeting a child following sexual grooming, and two months consecutive for the activation of his suspended sentence order.
He will also be added to the sex offenders’ register for 10 years, and will be subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.