A SERVING officer with Greater Manchester Police in Tameside has been jailed for two years for sexually assaulting a young girl.

Farooq Ahmed targeted the girl when she was still at primary school by touching her private parts on three occasions.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard on the first occasion the girl woke up to discover her clothing had been removed.

On the next two occasions he touched and licked her private parts and on the last occasion filmed himself doing so but quickly deleted it.

He also made sure her hand was touching his genitalia.

The offences, which took place in 2016, came to light in November last year when Ahmed confessed and eventually walked into the police station to tell officers what had happened.

He admitted three counts of sexual assault and one of making an indecent image of a child in December, and appeared in court yesterday to be sentenced.

Prosecutor Brian Berlyne revealed he was an employee of Greater Manchester Police.

He said: “Until he was arrested he was a serving police officer.”

Judge Nicholas Clarke interjected, asking: “How was his service terminated?”

Mr Berlyne replied: “As I understand it he has been suspended.”

The judge then asked: “He is still being paid? He has not resigned from the service?”

Mr Berlyne replied: “That is correct as I understand it.”

He explained the offences had taken place before he joined the police in March 2017.

He also read out a victim impact statement from the mother of the young girl which showed the devastating impact of the incidents on her and her daughter.

It said when she found out what had happened “her world fell apart”.

“I did not know what to say or think.

“There was a lot of tears and shock. This has had a massive impact on all our lives.”

Representing Ahmed, of Mossley Road in Ashton-under-Lyne, defence counsel Johnathan King said his client had the “deepest remorse.”

He said: “This is a guilty plea at the first opportunity.

“Mr Ahmed wishes to convey his deepest remorse for these offences.

“He served the police for three years, he completed his probation early in 2019, he worked in the Tameside area.”

He added: “He accepts he must face the full consequence of this.”

Imposing a sentence, Judge Clarke said: “My first thoughts are with the young girl, who was still at primary school when she suffered sexual abuse.”

He jailed the 37-year-old for two years and made him subject to the sex offenders’ register and imposed a sexual harm prevention order for five years.

He added: “You will have to serve this sentence at a very difficult time in prisons and as a previously serving police officer.”

A GMP spokesperson said: “GMP’s Professional Standards Branch is now taking action in line with the police regulations to seek the officer’s dismissal from the police service at the earliest opportunity.”

Detective Sergeant Zahid Latif said: “This was disgusting abuse of a young girl and it is important today that justice has been served for the victim, who has been receiving support from specialist officers and partner agencies throughout this investigation.

“The victim has been at the heart of this case during the entirety of our investigation and we hope that she and her loved ones are able to take some comfort from today’s verdict.

“There is absolutely no place for abuse such as this in our society and Ahmed is now behind bars to consider his actions and the profound impact they have had on his victim.”