A ‘PREDATORY’ attacker who raped a frightened schoolgirl and later sexually assaulted the victim, has been jailed for 34 months.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Abdul Basit, now 22, and who carried out the rape on the teenager when he was about 17, left his victim shocked, distraught and sobbing. She was to tell the police she had been attacked in the early hours and described the defendant as ‘stinking of booze’.

The hearing was told Basit, said to have a drink problem, has been served with ‘more than one abduction notice’ relating to girls under 16.

Prosecutor Lisa Worsley said: “He has even been watched by one of the teams in the area which look after young girls likely to get targeted by predatory adult males.”

Basit, from Burnley, but of no fixed address, had admitted rape and sexual assault.

He was ordered to sign the sexual offenders register and was given a 10-year sexual offences prevention order.

Miss Worsley told the court the defendant was interviewed about the rape on January 30. He denied he had done it and claimed the victim was making up the allegation simply to seek attention.

When questioned over the second offence, in which he made the victim touch him, Basit denied sexual assault.

He was charged in March. The defendant had 11 previous convictions for 15 offences, including a record for violence.

Andrew Nuttall, defending Basit, said: “He finds it difficult, for understandable reasons, to talk about it. He’s ashamed of it, of that there is no doubt.

“Fundamentally, he is fully aware of what he has done and fundamentally, he is fully aware that effectively, it has ruined his life. He realised the best thing is to hold his hand up and say he has done this and say, in a sense, he needs some help.”

The barrister continued: “He presents as a rather sad individual. He is somewhat cowed by the circumstances he finds himself in.”

Mr Nuttall said Basit was fully aware of the impact on the victim and that she would have been frightened.

Sentencing, Judge Andrew Woolman told Basit his pre-sentence report showed some disturbing attitudes that he seemed to have.

He said: “The police are concerned about what you might do next and, to some extent, this court shares those concerns.”

The judge added: “Had you been older when you committed the offence of rape, the sentence would have been much longer.”