Harehills man found with sex-aid tablet after trying to meet '14-year-old girl' arrested at Leeds station after decoy encounter

Najebullah Muemain, 33, was found with a 'sex-aid tablet' after being stopped by members of 'Secretly Tackling Online Predators'.

Prosecutor Ian Cook said STOP UK "identify people online who seek out children for sexual purposes".

A member of the group had set up a decoy profile on Facebook which Muemain had befriended in July 2021, Leeds Crown Court was told on Tuesday.

Over the course of two months, Muemain, of Luxor View, had groomed the 'girl' and sent sexual images of himself to her, Mr Cook said.

The decoy had repeatedly told Muemain she was 14 years old within the messages.

However, Muemain continued to message her asking for explicit requests and told her he was 27, despite being older.

The decoy indicated to Muemain that her mother "did not know she had Facebook" and he instructed her to delete the messages, the court heard.

"The defendant told the girl she was beautiful and wanted to be her boyfriend", Mr Cook told the court.

He arranged to meet what he thought was the girl at Leeds Train Station on August 22, 2021.

"The defendant arranged for them to stay over together overnight", Mr Cook told the court.

When he arrived at Leeds Train Station, Muemain was approached by members of STOP UK.

This attracted the attention of a British Transport Police officer who arrested him, the court was told.

When searched, he was in possession of a blue tablet similar to Viagra.

Muemain pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming at a plea and trial preparation hearing.

In mitigation, Rukhshanda Hussain said he had suffered a "difficult life so far".

Muemain grew up in a "country at war" and continued to support his family back in Afghanistan, she told the court.

Ms Hussain told the court she believed Muemain - of previous good character with no prior convictions - could "still be rehabilitated".

Sentencing him, Judge Simon Phillips QC said: "Over two months you made contact with a decoy profile.

"You believed the person was 14 years old.

"You were aware of your criminality.

"You arranged to meet her on August 22 having indicated your intention was to engage in sexual activity with her."

Muemain was jailed for a period of four years.

He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order until further notice.