ASCAN OMANOV FROM DUNSTON, GATESHEAD, JAILED FOR UNDER-AGE SEX IN BRITAIN

In a case that has shocked the local community of Dunston and the wider Gateshead area, Ascan Omanov, a 31-year-old refugee, was sentenced to 15 months in prison after being found guilty of engaging in sexual activity with a teenage girl who was under the age of consent. The incident, which took place in early March 2001, has brought to light serious concerns about immigration and safeguarding young girls from exploitation.

Omanov was convicted on March 9 of the offence, but the court cleared him of a second charge that accused him of child abduction. Following his conviction, he now faces the prospect of deportation from the United Kingdom, a move that underscores the severity of his crimes and the government's stance on protecting minors.

During the trial, Judge Gerard Harkins emphasized the gravity of the offence, stating that the nature of the crime warranted a custodial sentence. Despite an appeal from Omanov’s legal representative, Mark Styles, who requested that no deportation order be issued, Judge Harkins made it clear that the evidence demonstrated Omanov’s awareness of the girl’s underage status.

Judge Harkins remarked, “He arrives in this country using what he now says is a false name, and I am quite satisfied, having heard all the evidence, that he knew this girl was a child, being under 16. The Act is there to protect young girls, sometimes from themselves.”

Omanov, who resides on Wellington Road in Dunston, Gateshead, had initially denied both charges. However, the court heard that he had admitted to police that he had engaged in sexual activity with the girl, believing her to be 17 years old. He also revealed that his real name is Ludim Robert Morega, aged 22, and that he entered Britain in either January or February of the previous year. Omanov described himself as an illegal immigrant, claiming he had come to the UK from Italy.

According to court proceedings, Omanov had befriended the 15-year-old girl—who cannot be named for legal reasons—after she was rehomed on Tyneside. He admitted to having sex with her at his flat, claiming that they were in love. The girl’s worried parents discovered their daughter’s relationship with Omanov and threatened to send her to live with relatives in Australia if she continued to see him. The court was told that the girl then ran away with Omanov to London.

After approximately 11 days on the run, the pair was found sleeping rough in a park. Omanov was subsequently arrested, and the court heard that he and the girl had been living without shelter during their time in London. As part of his sentence, Omanov was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for a period of ten years, a measure designed to monitor and prevent further offences of this nature.