Madasser Khan, who attempted to avoid justice by fleeing to Pakistan, is beginning a jail sentence totalling four years and eight months.

After jumping bail he was tried in his absence at Preston Crown Court last August and was convicted of attempted rape and theft of the 15-year-old victim's mobile phone.

He was rearrested when he returned from Pakistan at Heathrow Airport and has since admitted an offence under the Bail Act.

The trial had heard that Khan was visiting Preston from London on a weekend in August 2006 for the religious seminar.

At the conclusion of a day's teaching he and a friend went to Moor Park after stopping off to buy alcohol and cigarettes.

There he saw the schoolgirl who was looking to get a better reception for her mobile phone.

After chatting to her and being rebuffed, Khan suddenly dragged the girl into bushes where he tried to rape her.

The trial heard that the attack was only halted when the girl's mobile rang and she screamed for help.

Khan then took the phone and ran off but was soon arrested.

A friend of the defendant, who was shocked to witness what he was doing, said later that Khan had an "evil expression on his face" as he was attacking the girl. He was said to have laughed at his victim as she pleaded for him to leave her alone.

The girl, who gave evidence at the trial, said she had been terrified by what happened although she escaped unhurt.

Khan, 23, from London, denied the charges and claimed in interviews that he had been the victim of a "set-up" and that after the girl started to chat to him, men then appeared and tried to rob him.

Both guilty verdicts were unanimous. The court was told on his behalf that he had no similar offences on his record. His barrister said Khan still "could not accept" he had committed the offences although the drinking of alcohol and spirits had contributed to what he did.

He had gone to Pakistan at the time of his trial to visit relatives after an earthquake, Khan claimed.

Judge Christopher Cornwall sentenced Khan to four-and-a-half years for attempted rape and theft, with an added two months for the Bail Act offence.

The judge said it was "difficult to equate the attendance at religious instruction with such a serious offence as this".

Khan was told his name would be on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

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