Tinder and Instagram 'predator' who raped and assaulted teen girls jailed
A man who raped and sexually assaulted teenage girls after grooming them online has been jailed for seven years.
Roland Lamin, 31, raped an 18-year-old girl in a car after meeting her through the Tinder dating app.
He also attempted to groom a 16-year-old girl on Instagram and plied two other girls with alcohol before sexually assaulting them.
Lamin, of no fixed address, was sentenced last Thursday at Bristol Crown Court to seven years in prison after being found guilty of five offences.
He was found guilty of one count of rape, two counts of sexual assault, one count of causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child and one count of breaching an interim sexual risk order, Avon and Somerset Police said.
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Lamin will be the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years after he’s released, which will prohibit him from being in the company of and communicating with anyone under the age of 18.
His conviction and sentencing followed a three-year investigation by detectives working on Operation Topaz, Avon and Somerset Police’s specialist child criminal and sexual exploitation investigation team.
The Metropolitan Police later alerted officers in Wiltshire Police that Lamin had also been in contact with a teenage girl in their force area.
It was then established the girl’s 18-year-old friend had met Lamin on Tinder in November 2017, believing he was younger than he claimed.
When she refused his advances, Lamin raped her in his car.
A man who sexually exploited teenage girls has been jailed.
Roland Lamin was caught by Op Topaz - our specialist child criminal and sexual exploitation investigation team - https://t.co/U3M6Ous5nM
If you suspect a child may be at risk of exploitation please contact us on 101. pic.twitter.com/RNZUsCxG0T— Avon and Somerset Police (@ASPolice) October 8, 2021
Following his arrest, Lamin’s phone was analysed and further victims, aged 17 and 18, were identified – later telling officers Lamin had given them alcohol and sexually assaulted them in his car.
He had also met a 14-year-old girl in a park in breach of an interim sexual risk order and had attempted to groom a 16-year-old girl on Instagram.
Detective Constable Tracy Sparrow, from Operation Topaz, said: “Roland Lamin is a predator who used social media to identify and target his victims.
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“He groomed them with alcohol and false promises of friendship before exploiting their trust by sexually abusing them.
“He displayed a truly disturbing pattern of behaviour which has left his victims with long term psychological trauma.
“Throughout our investigation all the girls and young women he targeted have demonstrated real courage and I’d like to thank them for their help in ensuring such a dangerous man is locked away.
“They have been given support throughout the course of our inquiry and we will continue to ensure their have access to specialist help should they need.”
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