A HOTEL owner has been jailed for sexually assaulting children after luring them into a bedroom to play with kittens.

Adam Saleem, 46, owned a bed-and-breakfast that claimed to be a sanctuary for rescued cats when he preyed on the young girls.

In March 2017, a family checked into Saleem's Bed-and-Breakfast in Hale and their three little girls, aged four, eight and nine, were keen to play with some of the kittens.

Seeing this, Saleem opened his bedroom door and told the girls, aged four, eight and nine, that they could play with them in his room.

He then shut the door and invited the girls to sit on the floor while they played with the cats, at which point he sexually assaulted two of them.

Months later in November 2017, one of the girls told her parents about what had happened, who immediately reported this to police.

Saleem was arrested and was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault of a female under the age of 13 at an earlier trial.

Saleem, of Hasty Lane, Hale was sentenced to two years in prison at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court for sexually assaulting two girls.

Detective Constable Paul Walls of GMP’s Trafford borough, said: “Saleem promised a safe haven for travelling guests and unloved cats, but there was nothing protecting these young girls from his abhorrent behaviour.

“He looked at these girls playing, and instead of seeing a picture of innocence, chose to act on his most twisted desires.

“Saleem should feel utterly ashamed of his actions that day, and I cannot thank the girls enough for telling their parents what had happened.

“I am glad for them that the arduous trial is now over and that they can rest easier, knowing Saleem is behind bars.”

He has been ordered to sign the sex offender’s register for 10 years and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.