An asylum seeker has appeared in court in Blackpool accused of raping, sexually assaulting and grooming an underage girl for sex.
Shah Sikander made his first appearance at Blackpool Magistrates' Court on Monday, accused of grooming the 14-year-old over a two week period.
Prosecutors alleged that the grooming of the girl ended in him meeting her in the Lancashire market town of Poulton.
Blackpool Magistrates Court
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He is accused of kidnapping her and raping her in a remote field near Preston last Friday.
The magistrates court hearing was told he then drove the girl back to her home town of Blackpool.
He also faces an additional count of sexually assaulting the teenager.
Prosecutor Malcolm Isherwood told the court that Sikander had travelled from his home in Warrington, to meet the alleged victim, after he groomed her on the internet.
The Crown claim he used a false, name, age and photograph. The prosecutor claimed Pakistani national Sikander had no legal status in the UK.
Sikander's defence lawyer said her client was an asylum seeker.
Sikander was remanded in custody and will appear at Preston Crown Court on 17 August.
