A PERVERT who sold sweets from the back of his car lured a seven-year-old girl and carried out a series of sex attacks on her.

David Conquest, 55, of Larch Street, Nelson, is finally facing justice after going on the run for over a year before he was extradited from the Republic of Ireland.

He is expected to be jailed after pleading guilty to serious sex offences on the Burnley girl.

Police believe Conquest, who also used to mend electrical appliances, could have used his job selling sweets as a guise for befriending families to gain access to children.

Preston Crown Court heard he carried out the offences between August 31, 2003 and January 15, 2004.

Police said he had gained the family's trust and would take the girl with him pretending to sell sweets, but instead he was indecently assaulting her.

Conquest was arrested in January 2004 and charged with four indecent assaults that March after a concerned family friends alerted the girl's parents to Conquest's behaviour.

He was due to appear at Burnley Crown Court in September 2004 but vanished.

Detectives launched a search for Conquest who they thought could have been in the Burnley, Nelson or the Bradford area.

They eventually tracked him down to the Republic of Ireland and a European arrest warrant was issued in May this year with Conquest being extradited in June.

He denied the allegations and was due to stand trial at Preston Crown Court yesterday (mon) but admitted four indecent assaults before the case got underway.

Speaking after the case, Detective Sergeant Phil Smith said: "He befriended the family and through time he was granted access to the girl.

"He had a small business and he would go out collecting money and the girl would accompany him.

"He used to buy sweets wholesale and bag them up and sell them from his car.

"The offences took place in Nelson and Burnley and were extremely serious.

"He built up a number of people who he sold sweets to whether it be friends or through friends of a friend.

"He would sell them out of the back of his car. It was a bit like an ice cream van but whether it was to meet families and befriend children we will never know."

The case was yesterday (mon) adjourned. Conquest was remanded in custody by Judge Edward Slinger who warned the defendant he faced a prison sentence.

DS Smith said he was delighted Conquest had finally been caught.

He said: "I am pleased we have got this person.

"He is off the streets and justice seems to have been served.

"I hope this sends a clear message to perpetrators of such crimes that they will be brought to justice.

"I am relieved for the girl she has been through a horrendous ordeal in the first place and I am thankful for small mercies she did not have to relive it again."