B&B owner invited children to play with rescued kittens, then sexually assaulted them

Adam Saleem, 46, has been jailed for ‘abhorrent’ attack

Saleem, who has three children, was convicted of two counts of sexual assault of a female under the age of 13 (Greater Manchester Police)

A man who sexually assaulted young girls after inviting them to play with rescued kittens has been jailed for two years.

The three girls, aged four, eight and nine, were staying in Adam Saleem’s bed and breakfast with their parents when he invited them into his bedroom in March 2017.

Greater Manchester Police said Halebarns House “boasted itself as a sanctuary for rescued cats” at the time and the children were keen to spend time with them.

“Seeing this, Saleem opened his bedroom door and told the girls that they could play with them in his room,” a spokesperson said. “He then shut the door and invited the girls to sit on the floor while they played with the cats, at which point he sexually assaulted two of them.”

Saleem, a former military intelligence officer and IT consultant, denied any wrongdoing and claimed he had fallen asleep when the girls entered his room.

The 46-year-old, who has three children, was convicted of two counts of sexual assault of a female under the age of 13 at trial.

Halebarns House describes itself as an ‘eclectic boutique guest house’ (Google Streetview)

On Friday he was sentenced to two years in prison at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

Saleem, of Hasty Lane in Hale, has been ordered to sign the sex offender’s register for 10 years and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

The assault came to light in November last year, when one of the girls told her parents what happened and they reported it to police.

Detective Constable Paul Walls said he should feel “utterly ashamed of his actions that day”.

He said: “Saleem promised a safe haven for travelling guests and unloved cats, but there was nothing protecting these young girls from his abhorrent behaviour. He looked at these girls playing, and instead of seeing a picture of innocence, chose to act on his most twisted desires.”

He added: I cannot thank the girls enough for telling their parents what had happened. I am glad for them that the arduous trial is now over and that they can rest easier, knowing Saleem is behind bars.”

Other guests at Halebarns House – dubbed Halebarns Hell by one reviewer – described Saleem as “rude, aggressive and intimidating”.

“It was reminiscent of a guest house hotel from a horror film,” another guest added, while others noted the smell of cats.