AHMED SABLU CAUGHT IN ESSEX AFTER TRAVELING 225 MILES TO LEEDS TO MEET 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL
A man from Essex, identified as Ahmed Sablu, embarked on a lengthy journey of approximately 225 miles with the intent of meeting a young girl in Leeds for sexual activity.The incident unfolded after Sablu engaged with a fake online profile, which was a CGI-created image of a 12-year-old girl, deliberately planted on Facebook by a vigilant group known as Predator Exposure.
Sablu, aged 24, traveled by train from his home on Spring Road in Clacton-on-Sea to Leeds.
Upon arriving at Leeds Railway Station on February 12, he proceeded to book a room at the Leeds Ibis hotel, having targeted what he believed was a minor.
The profile he had been communicating with was a decoy operated by Predator Exposure, who had created the girl’s image using computer-generated imagery to lure potential offenders.
Prior to his arrival, Sablu had initiated contact with the fake profile on December 30, sending a friend request.
Over the subsequent weeks, he exchanged hundreds of messages across various platforms, including Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.
Prosecutor Jennifer Gatland told Leeds Crown Court that most of their conversations were relatively mundane, discussing everyday activities, and notably, the profile repeatedly emphasized that she was only 12 and still in school.
There was no explicit content exchanged during these exchanges.
However, Sablu’s intentions became clear when he expressed plans to visit Leeds, book a hotel with a double bed, and even mentioned wanting to shower with the girl.
The two had agreed to meet on February 12, with Sablu having traveled from Essex.
His plans were thwarted when he was intercepted at Leeds Railway Station, where he was confronted by members of Predator Exposure who livestreamed the encounter before police officers arrived to arrest him.
During his arrest, Sablu told officers, “I’m sorry, I messed up,” but subsequently refused to comment during a police interview at the station.
Further investigation revealed that Sablu had indeed booked the hotel room at the Leeds Ibis for that very day.
He later admitted to attempting to meet a child following grooming behavior.
Sablu appeared in court via video link from HMP Leeds, where he has been held on remand since his arrest.
Probation reports indicated that Sablu had minimized the severity of his actions, though his defense lawyer, Matthew Harding, argued that many offenders with similar tendencies often struggle to accept their attraction to children.
Harding emphasized that Sablu acknowledged his wrongdoing and pointed out that most of his messages were ordinary, lacking explicit or gratuitous language typically associated with such offenses.
Sablu, originally from Bangladesh, was in the UK on a student visa, which has now expired.
Judge Richard Mansell KC addressed him directly, stating, “It was perfectly clear that she was just 12.
It became clear you were sexually interested in her.” The judge also referenced Sablu’s comments to officers about “messing up,” and condemned his lack of insight, saying, “The only way you messed up is that you got caught, travelling many miles to meet someone you thought was a 12-year-old girl.
You were fully intent on having sex with her in that hotel room.” Judge Mansell sentenced Sablu to 12 months in prison, imposed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), and ordered his inclusion on the sex offender register for the same duration.
Additionally, he warned that Sablu was “liable” to be deported once released from prison, highlighting the serious consequences of his actions and the breach of trust involved in this case.
