By Lucy Caulkett-
A man has been jailed for raping a 13-year-old girl while she was shopping with a friend.
Ashraf Khan, 39, (pictured) was caught after he gave his snapchat handle to the young girls before he committed the offence.
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Khan approached the teenage victim and her 14-year-old friend in a shop in Abbey Road, Barking, on August 11, 2021, and struck a conversation with them.
Khan proceeded to rape one of the girls before fleeing the scene.
Cops later discovered that the foolish paedophile lived just a minute from the crime scene.
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Following his arrest, he admitted he had been with the girls but denied any crime.
He was convicted of two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault at Snaresbrook Crown court in November 2023.
The Met said the girls were supported by specialist officers throughout the investigation and court proceedings.
Detective Sergeant Charlie Yexley, from the local policing team in Barking, praised the two girls for coming forward to the police and their families for supporting the prosecution.
He added: “It is because of their courage that Khan is behind bars and unable to cause harm to any further victims.”
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