Paedophile on America’s ‘Most Wanted’ list fled to the UK and groomed a vulnerable teenager for sex where he taped up her mouth, put her in a dog collar and wrote ‘rape me’ on her leg
- Gerard Zalewski, 33, manipulated UK teen into sending him images of her
- He then arranged to meet the girl, 13, in a park in Preston, Lancashire
- Zalewski is wanted by American FBI for similar charges
- He has been jailed for 12 years, given 'extended indeterminate licence period'
Gerard Zalewski, 33, fled the US on paedophile charges only to claim another victim in the UK
A paedophile on America's 'most wanted' list has been jailed after he fled to Britain and groomed a teenage girl for sex.
Gerard Zalewski, 33, manipulated his 13-year-old victim into sending him indecent images of herself, and then arranged to meet her in a park in Bamber Bridge, Preston in Lancashire.
Preston Crown Court heard how he taped the young girl's mouth with masking tape, put a dog collar around her neck and scrawled the words ‘rape me’ on her leg.
He then proceeded to take pictures of the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, on his mobile phone.
Zalewski, who was living in Dartford, Kent, at the time, pleaded guilty to two counts of penetrative sexual activity with a child, meeting a child following sexual grooming, taking indecent photographs of a child and false imprisonment.
Following the incident, Zalewski fled but was arrested in Kent on June 21 after a man-hunt.
Zalewski manipulated his victim, 13, into sending him indecent images of herself, and met her in a park in Bamber Bridge, Preston, Lancs. He taped the young girl's mouth with masking tape, put a dog collar around her neck and scrawled the words ‘rape me’ on her leg. Zalewski is wanted by the FBI for failing to appear at a sentencing hearing in March 2006
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He was jailed for a total of 12 years and given an 'extended indeterminate licence period'.
Zalewski is wanted by the FBI for failing to appear at a sentencing hearing in March 2006, for committing 'involuntary deviate sexual intercourse' with a 13-year-old girl in June 2004, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
Later that year, he pleaded guilty to these offences and was convicted in his absence to serve five to 20 years in a state correctional institution.
But when Zalewski did not 'surrender to custody' by March 31, 2006, a warrant was issued for his arrest.
The officer who led the investigation into the Lancashire offences, Detective Chief Inspector Vicki Evans, of Lancashire Constabulary's Public Protection Unit, said: 'Gerard Zalewski is a dangerous and predatory sexual deviant who posed a significant risk to children across the country.'
'He groomed this vulnerable young teenager before arranging to meet her knowing that she was under 16. He then filmed her for his own gratification.'
'We welcome today's sentence which will mean the public, particularly children who are vulnerable, are protected from him for the foreseeable future.'
'This case highlights the risks and dangers faced by children with online grooming.
'It is important for parents, carers and guardians to talk to children about who they communicate with online, who their friends are, and how to manage these online relationships.'
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