SOLOMON ASEMOTA AND THE SHOCKING SEXUAL ABUSE IN MANCHESTER
A disturbing case of sexual exploitation and assault has recently come to light in Manchester, involving Solomon Asemota, aged 30, who engaged in predatory behavior targeting two young girls, both only 12 years old at the time.The horrific series of events unfolded after Asemota initially groomed the victims through online interactions on Snapchat, where he manipulated the girls by supplying them with alcohol and drugs to lower their inhibitions.
According to the court proceedings, Asemota’s first known assault occurred during a casual game of ‘Truth or Dare,’ during which he forcibly raped one of the girls.
The other assaults took place during separate occasions when Asemota drove the girls in his car.
During these encounters, he sexually assaulted the girls, with one victim recounting the frightening experience in a police interview.
When asked how old he was, Asemota misleadingly responded, “I can be,” when the girls inquired whether he was 18 or 19.
It later emerged that he deliberately withheld his true age, which was 27 at the time, from the victims.
Asemota, who resides in Longsight, Manchester, pleaded guilty to seven counts of rape and was subsequently sentenced to 10 years in prison, along with an extended license period of one additional year.
The prosecution, led by Simon Blakebrough, detailed how police were called on January 9, 2020, after one of the girls was reported missing.
Further investigation led officers to locate her at a house in Cheetham Hill, at which point she was advised to return home.
During questioning, she disclosed that her friend, the other girl, was at a location known as ‘Prince’s house,’ which was subsequently traced to Asemota.
Officers responded by escorting the girl to the house, where they found her in bed with a man who was later arrested.
Although initial forensic analysis did not link Asemota conclusively to the sexual acts, subsequent forensic evidence later established his involvement with the victims.
In interviews, Asemota admitted to meeting the girls via Snapchat, claiming he had believed them to be 16 or 17 years old because of the pictures he received.
He acknowledged that he never disclosed his true age, which he admitted was 27.
He also confessed to engaging in sex with the first girl after a game of ‘Truth or Dare’ and admitted to having sexual activity with both girls in his car.
During the police interview, he revealed that one of the girls was intoxicated at the time, and he confessed to keeping vodka in his vehicle regularly.
Asemota recounted a particular incident where he dropped a girl off at her friend's house, only to be approached by the friend’s mother, who knocked on the car window and angrily told him that he had a child inside the vehicle.
When questioned about her comment, he suggested that perhaps she thought he was underaged or simply was angry.
On the day of the incident, January 9, Asemota claimed that one girl had been kicked out and that he took both to stay at his aunt’s house, where they smoked cannabis.
He then took them to a friend’s residence in Cheetham Hill, where he further engaged in sexual acts, even suggesting his friend could have sex with the second girl.
Asemota admitted that he did not use a condom during these encounters.
Additional evidence was gathered from his mobile phone, which contained intimate videos of the victims.
The impact of his actions on the victims has been profound.
One of the girls, now 15, shared a victim impact statement revealing her difficult home life at the time.
She explained her feelings of fear and helplessness, noting she was too scared to tell anyone about what was happening.
She expressed her confusion and fear of repercussions that kept her from reporting the incidents earlier.
The other girl, now 14, described suffering from nightmares, flashbacks, and an inability to trust many people, especially men.
She expressed feelings of guilt, stating, “I feel like I’m to blame, but I know I am not.” Support services for children subjected to sexual exploitation confirmed that both girls had experienced significant trauma, with feelings of shame and guilt that are likely to affect them for years to come.
A specialist nurse noted the lasting damage inflicted by these traumatic experiences.
In mitigation, lawyer Michael Johnson highlighted that Asemota was truthful during police interviews and had made important admissions, emphasizing that he had no prior criminal record and was not used to prison life.
However, he acknowledged that Asemota’s actions would lead to inevitable consequences.
Judge Rachel Smith, presiding over the case, condemned Asemota’s behavior, describing his acts as highly manipulative and exploitative, marked by a clear pattern of grooming and opportunism designed to prey on vulnerable children.
She emphasized that the prolonged time spent with the girls showed a deliberate effort to buildtrust and manipulate their vulnerabilities.
The judge pointed out the evidence of grooming, including providing the victims with companionship, transportation, food, alcohol, and drugs, all of which contributed to the exploitation.
The court was also informed that a pre-sentence report classifies Asemota as a high risk of causing serious harm to children and noted that he had tried to appear younger intentionally to continue his grooming activities.
As part of his sentencing, Asemota, of Queens Grove, Longsight, was ordered to be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 20 years and was mandated to register as a sex offender for life.
This case has cast a stark light on the dangers of online grooming and the importance of vigilance in protecting children in Manchester from exploitation by predators like Solomon Asemota.
