A “sinister” sex offender who groomed a child and then raped her in his flat has been jailed.
Officers were alerted to concerns for the welfare of a 13-year-old girl after she was reported missing from her home in west Kent in 2019.
However, it was discovered Ako Hawla had groomed the child through several social media platforms and persuaded her to meet him.
He was 19 at the time, but when the victim told him she was only 13, he claimed he was also a juvenile.
They travelled to his address in Frobisher Road, Erith, south London, where the victim was repeatedly abused.
Officers searching for the missing child tracked her to the flat, but when Hawla realised police were at his home he instructed the victim to pretend she was simply sleeping on his couch. He told her to tell officers she was 17.
Hawla was arrested and bailed, but later fled the country.
However, he was tracked down in France and extradited to the UK under a European Arrest Warrant in April 2024.
Now aged 26, Hawla was found guilty of rape, as well as a further five sexual offences following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court.
He was also convicted of child abduction.
The sex offender was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment on August 14.
As well as having to serve at least two thirds of the sentence before he can be considered for parole, he was also made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
DC Kim Bashford said: “Hawla exploited a child’s trust in the most sinister and deplorable way.
“He struck up conversations with her through social media apps, and after they met for the first time, then subjected her to a truly terrifying ordeal.
“Having successfully pursued Hawla into Europe, it is really pleasing that we have now been able to finally ensure he has faced justice.
“I really do hope that the victim starts to feel safer and can rebuild her life now that he is prison.”
DC Bashford added: “I would also like to encourage parents to remind children of the precautions they should take when using the internet and social media apps.
“Children should only communicate with people that they know personally and report any suspicions or inappropriate advances from strangers to their parents, schools or the police.”
