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Parents' disgust as sex pests walk free
THE distraught parents of a young girl targeted by two sex pests at Blackpool Pleasure Beach today slammed the justice system after the attackers walked free from court.
Asad Mahmood, 19, and Haqnawez Razzaq, 27, sexually touched three 13-year-old girls as they queued for the Big One rollercoaster during a school trip to the fun park.
The parents of one of the schoolgirls, who cannot be named for legal reasons, today said they were disgusted both men had escaped being sent to prison.
Mahmood and Razzaq each admitted sexually assaulting two girls and pleaded guilty to a joint charge of sexually touching another girl when they appeared before Preston Crown Court.
Both defendants were fined and given community punishments.
The father of one of the victims said: "We are completely disgusted at the sentencing. There wasn't justice here.
"They only have to pay their victims a few hundred pounds, but this will always be with our daughter.
"It's mad, it's no deterrent. It should have been a custodial sentence."
The victim's mother said: "It has affected her. She's lost her confidence and she's been miserable ever since this happened."
Robert Kearney, prosecuting, said the men approached the girls, who were on a school trip to Blackpool, and asked them for their names and phone numbers.
Mahmood put his hand underneath the queue barrier, smacked one of the girls on her bottom and then sexually touched her. When she moved further down the queue Mahmood touched her friend.
Mr Kearney said: "One of the men said we have got condoms for you. They had bloodshot eyes, smelled of alcohol and looked drugged up."
The court heard how Razzaq touched the second girl on her bottom before slapping another girl on her bottom.
Despite the schoolgirls telling the men to go away, Mahmood insisted on sitting behind a fourth girl from the school group and touched her neck throughout the duration of the ride.
The girls immediately told their teachers about the incident who informed security staff.
Initially Mahmood and Razzaq, who are both from Oldham, denied touching the girls but entered guilty pleas before the case went to trial.
Sentencing the pair, Judge Michael Byrne said: "You were a pair of sexual pests fooling around.
"The public and schools must know Blackpool Pleasure Beach is safe for all pupils of both sexes, of all ages to go about their business and have a good time."
Mahmood was sentenced to 26 weeks in jail, suspended for two years, and given a community order with supervision requirement for two years.
Compensation
He was also ordered to undertake 250 hours unpaid work and pay 200 compensation to one of the victims and 100 to another.
Razzaq was also ordered to pay one of the victims 100 and another girl 200. He was also ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work.
Insp Jackie Hirst, from Blackpool Police, said: "These teenage girls have suffered a very unpleasant experience. Nobody should have to endure what they went through."
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Weather for Blackpool
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
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Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
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