A 28-year-old man from Bolton has absconded after being convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl inside a retail premises, prompting the issuance of an arrest warrant at Chester Crown Court.
Furqan Khalil, of Rishton Lane, Bolton, was scheduled to appear for sentence on Friday 9 October. When he failed to attend the proceedings, the Crown Court judge issued an immediate bench warrant for his arrest, and Cheshire Police released his photograph alongside a public appeal for information regarding his whereabouts.
Khalil stood trial across four days concluding on Thursday 27 August, where a jury convicted him of one count of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a child. Jurors acquitted him of a separate, similar count alleged to have occurred moments earlier against the same victim.
The prosecution outlined that the incident occurred at Cheshire Mobile and E-Cigarettes, situated in Market Way. Khalil engaged the 14-year-old schoolgirl in conversation, offering to sell her a vape product despite knowing she was legally underage. During the interaction, Khalil touched the victim intimately without her consent.
The child immediately reported the assault, initiating an investigation by Cheshire Police that identified Khalil as the perpetrator. Following his conviction at trial, Khalil was granted bail pending the preparation of pre-sentence reports, but subsequently absconded rather than attending his sentencing hearing.
Police inquiries remain ongoing to locate and apprehend Khalil so that he can be returned to custody and brought back before Chester Crown Court for formal sentencing, sex offender registration, and the implementation of protective orders.
Image – Anonymous Artist Impression
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