Man who groomed child with 'macho' drug dealer claim jailed

Gurmon Singh, 26, of Blackpool Road, Preston, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child and a fourth count will lie on the file.

Preston Crown Court heard Singh contacted his victim on Facebook and lied he was 17 - and she came to think of him as her “first love”.

Prosecuting, Michael Maher said: “He was very insistent to meet her.

“He cultivated a certain image by telling he was a drug dealer he pestered her for sexual intercourse and ultimately she acquiesced.

“She said she was apprehensive, if not downright scared, of his manner. It was only later she learned he was in his early 20s.”

The court heard the girl was encouraged to perform acts in a car in a cul-de-sac behind her home.

Phone records showed more than 2,500 communications between them.

The allegations came to light when she confided in medical staff in October 2014.

When quizzed, Singh told police his victim was “stalking him” and made out she was obsessed with him.

In a victim impact statement the youngster told how Singh had groomed her by telling her she was “beautiful”.

Imposing a sexual harm prevention order, Judge Robert Altham called the acts “sordid” and said: “ You were extraordinarily persistent in meeting her.”

Defending, Kimberley O’Brusik said Singh found it difficult to accept what he did.