Paedophile jailed for sexual offences against 14-year-old girl in Preston

A man has been jailed after admitting a strong of sex offences against a teenage girl.

On 21st September 2024, we were contacted by a concerned member of the public who had seen 59-year-old Sabbir Patel in Ribbleton Park, Preston, with the 14-year-old victim and another child.

This putting him in breach of a child abduction warning he had been given the previous April and he was therefore arrested, charged and remanded into custody.

Whilst he was in prison awaiting his court date, the brave victim wrote a letter which detailed the sexual offences Patel had committed against her.

This included an incident in Moor Park in Preston where he incited the child to engage in sexual activity, and a separate occasion where he had woken her up and attempted to engage her in sexual activity. On occasions he said he loved her and described her as having a sexy body. The victim suffered multiple sexual assaults from Sabbir Patel which occurred over a period of 12 months.

Appearing in the dock at Preston Crown Court earlier this year, Patel, of Ripon Terrace, Preston, pleaded guilty to six sexual assaults and engaging in sexual activity with a child.

He returned to the same court last week and was jailed for six years, made subject of an indefinite Sexual harm Prevention order and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

In an impact statement to the court, the victim’s mum wrote: “My daughter’s confidence has depleted massively. This has caused her to struggle keeping and forming relationships with friends and with family. My daughter struggles to trust people and she puts barriers up when she is around her family and friends.

“My daughter does not like any physical touch, she will push away when myself or her family come near her. I feel this is a result of the abuse she suffered from Patel.

DC Ella Burrow, of the Preston Child Exploitation Team, said: “Patel is a dangerous individual with a sordid sexual interest in female children.

“His offending has had a significant and ongoing impact on his victim, as demonstrated in the victim impact statement from written by her mum. I would like to praise the victim for the bravery in firstly putting down in writing what Patel had done to her, and then supporting the judicial process.

“I wound encourage anyone reading this who finds themselves or suspects someone else to be in a similar situation to contact the police. We will listen to you, and we will do everything in our power to put the abuser before the courts.”