Instagram prowler, 28, who lured two girls, 11 and 13, to meet him using app is jailed for more than two years – as police fear he may have more victims
- Charnjit Singh drove two girls he groomed on Instagram around in his car
- The victims’ families called police when the pair stayed out all night with Singh
- Police believe Singh, also known as Mike Singh, may have groomed more girls
- He was jailed for 27 months for child abduction and also banned from driving
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Charnjit Singh, also known as Mike Singh, groomed two girls aged 11 and 13 over Instagram. Police believe he may have used the app to target other victims
A man who groomed two girls aged 11 and 13 online before abducting them has been jailed for more than two years.
Charnjit Singh, 28, from Leicester, contacted the young girls on Instagram and encouraged them to meet him.
After meeting the pair in May, Singh drove them around in his car keeping them out all night. The victims’ families reported the girls missing to police.
Singh, who is also known as Mike Singh, is believed to have contacted other young girls on Instagram and Leicestershire police are appealing for any other victims to come forward.
After pleading guilty to child abduction charges, Singh was handed a 27-month jail term for each count. He has also banned from driving for 27 months and issued with a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order at Leicester Crown Court.
Trial judge Robert Brown also ordered Singh hand over his mobile phone which was due to be destroyed.
He was also handed two further three-month sentences for breaching two restraining orders in connection with an unrelated incident.
He was also given an unlimited restraining order.
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The three-month jail term for breaching the restraining order will run consecutively to the child abduction offences.
PC Tim Grigg of Leicestershire Police’s Child Sexual Exploitation team said: ‘Evidence uncovered during the investigation revealed Singh was grooming young girls under the age of 16 using social media. In this case Singh took the victims out without their parents’ permission and bought gifts and food.
‘We are pleased Singh has pleaded guilty to the offences and spared the young victims the ordeal of giving evidence in court.
‘We believe there may be other victims of Singh. On social media he has been known to use the name “Mike Singh” – if you recognise the defendant or have been approached in a similar way we would ask that you contact us.
‘Staying safe online is important to stop you from being a target. You should never give out your personal details online to people you don’t know. You should never agree to meet up with someone that you’ve met online, particularly in a private place or without your family knowing. Doing so can make it possible for an online groomer to hurt you.
‘If you talk to the police we will work alongside social workers to support you so you can tell us what happened. We have specially trained officers who will listen to what you have to say. They will then explain to you what will happen next and make sure that you’re happy with it. We won’t make you do anything you don’t want to. But we will always take action to make sure you or another child is safe.
‘If there’s an adult you trust, a parent, carer, friend or a teacher, talk to them first about what’s happening. You can contact the police on 101, alternatively contact a school nurse by texting 07520 615 387 or ChildLine on 0800 1111.’
How to spot if your child is being groomed online
Predators use games, social media, live streaming platforms and chatrooms in order to target children.
Often the groomer can create multiple online identities and even pretend to be children themselves in order to make contact.
Some predators will look at what a child has posted online before making an approach while others will send out multiple ‘friend requests’ in the hope of receiving a response.
According to the National Crime Agency’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command, offenders will try to start conversations and then try and move to a private social media or chat app.
Children using chatrooms and social media sites are at risk of being groomed
A CEOP spokesperson said: ‘You should assume that if a site or app is popular with young people then people with a sexual interest in children will try to use it to communicate with them.
‘This doesn’t mean you should panic or not let your children use them, simply that they should be aware that there can be risks on any platform they are using.
‘If your child uses online games, social media, live streaming platforms or chatrooms it’s important to make sure they know how to report to CEOP if someone is making them feel uncomfortable.’
CEOP warns that there has been a rise in children being ‘tricked’ into sharing explicit images using a web cam or the camera on the smart phone.
Experts say there is not one clear sign of online grooming, although its effects can be as harmful as ‘contact’ sexual abuse.
- Has the child suddenly become secretive?
- Are they sad or withdrawn without saying why?
- Do they seem distracted?
- Do they have sudden mood swings?
- Are they unable to switch off from their phone or social media?
According to CEOP, abusers will want their victims to remain silent to maintain control and to prevent the child seeking help.
A spokesperson added: ‘It’s important to ensure that your children are aware of the risks posed by people with a sexual interest in children online. They should know that they should be wary of people they talk to online, not share too much personal information and be aware of how they appear in their online profiles.
‘It’s also important that your child knows they can talk to you if anything is bothering them and that you will be supportive.’
For more information, call the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 500, or contact your local police, children’s social care department or report your suspicions directly to CEOP.
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