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A married father from Birmingham has been jailed for five years after driving more than 85 miles to meet what he thought was a 14-year-old boy for sex, only to be arrested by waiting police officers in a sting operation.
Javed Iqbal, 49, of Castleton Road, Perry Barr, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court after being found guilty of arranging the commission of an offence of sexual activity with a child and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.
The Pakistani national, whose ethnicity has been confirmed as Pakistani through official Companies House records , was caught out when he began speaking to someone he believed to be a teenage boy on online platforms in August 2024.
Court documents reveal that Iqbal started communicating with an individual he thought was a 14-year-old boy on August 28, 2024, using messaging platforms including WhatsApp and the LGBTQ+ social networking app HeeSay .
Despite the "child" clearly informing Iqbal of their age, the 49-year-old continued to send sexually explicit messages, including at least one indecent image of himself, and repeatedly asked the child for similar images in return. After engaging in these sexual communications, Iqbal arranged to meet the youngster in Widnes, Cheshire.
On September 7, 2024, Iqbal drove from his home in Birmingham to the meeting location. However, the "boy" did not exist—he had been communicating with an adult decoy working with law enforcement. Upon arrival, he was met by officers from Cheshire Police and immediately arrested.
Cheshire Police confirmed that although no real child was involved, Iqbal was unaware of this and was wholly intent on his predatory mission.
A spokesperson told journalists: "Although there was no young victim in this case, Iqbal did not know this and was intent on meeting with a child for sexual purposes, travelling a long distance to do so."
"He also sent explicit messages to the child, even after they clearly informed him of their age. Iqbal attempted to deny the allegations but has now been found guilty of the offences and handed a custodial sentence which reflects the severity of the charges against him."
Daily Dazzling Dawn understands that in addition to his five-year custodial sentence, Iqbal has been placed on the Sex Offender Register for life and is subject to a stringent Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) designed to monitor his online activity and contact with minors upon his release.
The sentencing brings to a close a disturbing case that saw a man from the Pakistani community in Birmingham betray his family's trust to engage in the most serious forms of online child sexual exploitation, travelling a significant distance to satisfy his predatory intentions.
The court heard that Iqbal, a married man with children, lived a seemingly ordinary family life on Castleton Road in Perry Barr while secretly grooming a decoy he believed was a minor. The case serves as a stark warning about the dangers of online child sexual exploitation and the determination of law enforcement to bring offenders to justice.
Iqbal's identity and nationality have been confirmed through official records , and his conviction ensures he will face extensive monitoring for the rest of his life.
