A man who groomed a teenage girl on Facebook and then raped her in a Newark hotel room has been sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Imtiaz Baig contacted the 16-year-old via the social media site in late 2014 and spent months messaging her.
Baig, 37, told her he was a businessman renting out prestige cars and helicopters, and offered her cash.
He eventually persuaded the victim to meet him at a hotel in Newark on August 29 last year.
He gave her alcoholic drinks, even though she had asked for lemonade, and talked about possibly involving her in his business.
He then made her undress and raped her.
After the assault, the girl persuaded him to go into the bathroom. She then grabbed his clothing and ran from the hotel, meeting her brother nearby.
He took her to Newark Police station where she handed over Baig’s belongings.
Baig told hotel staff that he had been robbed and was given clothing. He then left in a taxi.
However, officers managed to trace the vehicle and the taxi was stopped on the A1 near Grantham.
He was arrested and later charged with rape.
I would like to pay tribute to the courage of the victim
Baig, of Straight Drove, Farcet, near Peterborough, was convicted following a trial at Nottingham Crown Court in January.
He appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday (February 5) for sentencing.
After the sentencing, Det Insp Nikki Smith of Nottinghamshire Police said: “This case underlines the lengths that dangerous individuals like Baig will go to in order to entice a child to engage in sexual activity.
“I would like to pay tribute to the courage of the victim. Despite the trauma of the incident and the effect of the alcohol he had persuaded her to drink, she had the presence of mind to take his clothing and other belongings to prevent him from fleeing the hotel.”
