Police criticised in sex pest case

Police missed chances to bring a takeaway owner to justice earlier for a string of sexual offences against under-age girls, a judge said yesterday.

Several witnesses, including a 12-year-old girl, complained about Azad Miah pestering them for sex in exchange for money but no action was taken and he continued his “corrupting and degrading” sexual exploitation for several years.

Judge Peter Hughes QC said Cumbria Constabulary needed to be “ever vigilant” to detect signs of abuse and exploitation of vulnerable people and to take seriously what they say “however chaotic their lives may be”.

Miah, 44-, was jailed yesterday for 15 years for paying under-age girls for sex, inciting others to become prostitutes and running a brothel at his Carlisle takeaway.