The pair met up after chatting online, and following the assault, Hussain paid the girl £135 and bought her a phone charger. He was later arrested by Lancashire Police and convicted following a trial, having denied the offence.
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Hussain, of Irene Place, Blackburn, appeared at Burnley Crown Court on Wednesday (October 15), where Judge Daniel Prowse said the impact on the victim and her family had been “severe”, describing the young girl as “courageous.”
“The law recognises that decisions about whether to consent to sexual contact are just too big to be made by children under 13,” said Judge Prowse.
“A child under 13 cannot in law consent to having sex. Sex with a child under 13 is rape. They need to be protected from adults like you who take advantage of their age.”
The judge added that any suggestion the girl was to blame was “utterly rejected” and described Hussain’s actions as “grooming”.
The court heard that in January 2024, Hussain also contacted two 14-year-old girls via Snapchat. He offered them money and vapes to meet up and suggested inappropriate acts. Hussain described how he wanted the girls to slap him and spit on him, and he suggested getting into the back of their car so he could stroke their legs, later giving them £50 to share.
Hussain pleaded guilty to those offences at an earlier hearing.
He was sentenced to a total of 16 years – comprising a 15-year custodial term and a one-year extended licence period. He must serve at least two-thirds of the sentence in prison.
A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed for 25 years, and he will be subject to sex offender notification requirements for life.
A Lancashire Police spokesperson said:
“We will not tolerate this type of crime in Lancashire. If you or someone you know has been the victim of a sexual offence, report it online or call 101. You will be believed, you will be listened to, and we will do everything in our power to put the perpetrator before the courts.”
📹 Police have released arrest footage as part of the case.
