Man who arranged to sell 'fragile' teenage girl's sexual services by text message jailed

Adam Banks 'took pleasure in arranging to sexually exploit this girl and gained disgusting sexual gratification from images he convinced her to send'

Adam Banks admitted a range of sexual offences (GMP)

A man who attempted to sell the sexual services of a “fragile” teenage girl via text message, has been jailed.

Adam Banks, from Wigan, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison and received a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

The 33-year-old messaged the girl repeatedly on social media and arranged for her to meet four men for sex before his arrest, Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester heard.

His constant messages became increasingly explicit, police said, adding that he manipulated her by using money as an incentive because she wanted to leave her home in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester.

He convinced her to send him inappropriate images and contacted men by text message offering to sell her services.

On one occasion he met the teenager in his car before telling her she had to meet four men later in the week.

After someone close to the victim raised their suspicions with police, officers from Greater Manchester Police arrested Banks in Leeds before the planned meetings.

He admitted at an earlier hearing to two counts of arranging the sexual exploitation of a child, three counts of distributing indecent images of a child and one count of making an indecent image of a child.

“Banks manipulated this vulnerable girl preying on her need for money. He sent sickening explicit texts to other men detailing the services she could offer, all the while knowing how young and fragile she was," said Detective sergeant Jennie Morrison.

“He took pleasure in arranging to sexually exploit this girl and gained disgusting sexual gratification from images he convinced her to send. I want to praise the victim for her strength throughout this investigation and specialist officers have supported her through this ordeal.”