A married dad-of-two sexually abused a teenage girl after plying her with cocaine and vodka.
Alin Cobzaru, 27, crawled Southport's streets in an Audi late at night, offering children "drugs in return for sex".
He was twice stopped by police with girls including the victim in his car and was told by officers she was only 15.
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But just days after that warning, he took the "particularly vulnerable" girl to a party, where he molested her.
Today, following two trials at Liverpool Crown Court, the predator was jailed for seven years and eight months.
Judge Gary Woodhall told Cobzaru: "You and an associate of yours were in the habit of driving around the Southport area targeting and picking up young teenage girls for the purpose of your sexual exploitation.
"I heard evidence in the first trial from another girl you attempted to meet in your car, to whom you offered drugs in return for sex. She refused and left your vehicle.
"You were targeting these girls, who were undoubtedly vulnerable, because despite their young ages they were out late at night, drinking alcohol and consuming drugs."
He added: "You persisted in this behaviour despite police interventions."
Judge Woodhall said one night in 2020, Cobzaru had driven the victim and two other young girls to Manchester.
He said: "You were seeking to impress them with the quality of the vehicles you were driving, by playing music, by buying them things they wanted including alcohol.
"But on this occasion, when they rejected the suggestion you should engage in sexual activity with them, you threw them out of the vehicle.
"I have no doubt you were grooming those girls."
Both that night and the following night, when Cobzaru collected the three girls again, they were stopped by police.
Judge Woodhall said: "Though the girls lied about their ages, it's clear that on the second of those occasions the police identified the girls' true ages."
He said Cobzaru was told his victim's age, adding: "You were therefore clearly on notice she was only 15."
Three days later, Cobzaru arranged to collect the victim and to take her to a "party", with the offer of alcohol.
They went to a flat in Southport Promenade, where there were two large bottles of vodka, balloon canisters and cocaine.
The court heard the girl took cocaine mixed with vodka, before Cobzaru indicated he wanted sex in return.
Judge Woodhall said: "She did concede in her interview she was flirting with you. She also says her reaction to sexual activity was to say 'no'."
He said Cobzaru got her alone in a bedroom and told her to take her clothes off and when she said no, he removed her clothing, "to which she resisted".
The court heard the dad got on top of her and she "continued to resist", before he carried out four sexual acts.
Judge Woodhall said in the days that followed there was further contact with the victim and her friends, involving "either the offer of money or in fact monies paid, no doubt to try and buy their silence".
The victim later told her mum what had happened and police were informed.
The girl identified Cobzaru, of Scarisbrick Street, Southport, as the man driving the car when it was stopped.
Geoffrey Lowe, prosecuting, today said Cobzaru was in fact stopped by police on a further occasion, when he had two other girls who appeared "intoxicated" in his vehicle.
When arrested and interviewed, Cobzaru put forward a false alibi - later disproved - and denied any sexual activity with his victim.
Cobzaru denied two counts of rape and two counts of assault by penetration, which forced his victim to give evidence.
The first trial collapsed because of coronavirus issues and the second trial resulted in a hung jury.
Ahead of a third trial, Cobzaru admitted four offences of sexual activity with a child.
The pleas were accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service, following consultation with the victim and her family.
Judge Woodhall said: "Given the offences you've been convicted of, you are to be sentenced for engaging in sexual activity with someone who could not consent and indeed did not consent.
"However, I temper the sentence in accordance with the appropriate guideline for this offence, rather than any more serious offence, with which you were originally charged."
Cobzaru is a Romanian national who had been in the UK for around two years.
Nicholas Cockrell, defending, said he didn't have any previous convictions, either in the UK or Romania.
He said his client had been in custody since 2020 and his wife and two young children had returned to Romania.
Mr Cockrell said: "He's motivated to continue to use the time constructively and will as soon as he can, whether it's by compulsion or otherwise, return to his home country."
Judge Woodhall told Cobzaru: "I bear in mind the references from your wife, cousins and friends, who describe how in your personal life you've shown love for your family, are hard working and they're willing to support you on your eventual release."
In a pre-sentence report, Cobzaru again claimed he had thought the victim was 18.
Judge Woodhall said: "That's simply not true."
He told him: "There continues to be a level of minimisation and your assessed as still not understanding the gravity of your offending."
Judge Woodhall said Cobzaru's immigration status wasn't clear, adding: "It's also not clear to me how you were able to fund the lifestyle you were living as someone who says they were working on farms and in a factory."
The judge said the abuse had a "significant impact" on the victim and her family.
Judge Woodhall said he would give Cobzaru 4% credit for his guilty pleas, which spared his victim a third trial.
He told Cobzaru to sign on the Sex Offenders Register and comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.
Anyone with information or who wants to report a sexual offence allegation is asked to call 101, where you will be spoken to by specially trained officers, or you can pass information to Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Support for victims is also available through the registered charity the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre Cheshire and Merseyside, who can be contacted on 01925 221 546 or 0330 363 0063, or from Rape and Sexual Assault Merseyside (RASA) on 0151 558 1801.
Children concerned about abuse can contact Childline 24/7 on 0800 1111, and adults concerned about the wellbeing of children can phone the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 8005000.
Anyone concerned about their own behaviour, or that of a family member, can contact stopitnow.org.uk and get-help.stopitnow.org.uk
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