A CHILD abductor who "preyed" on a vulnerable 14-year-old girl and kept her away from her family has been jailed for 18 months.
Junior Juba, 26, of Kidderminster Road, Croydon, was convicted of child abduction by a jury at Croydon Crown Court on Tuesday, November 25.
Police investigating the case of the missing 14-year-old, who disappeared on June 1 this year, were given a note from her room with the name 'Aone Mula' on it, with a mobile phone number registered to Juba.
They also discovered that Juba had set up a Facebook account with the same pseudonym.
On June 5, officers went to Juba's flat and though he initially denied having met or seen the girl, they found her in a communal stairwell.
They found items belonging to the girl in his flat and evidence she had been there and Juba was arrested at the scene.
Though the girl refused to speak with officers or make allegations against Juba, police charged him with child abduction the next day.
Acting Detective Sergeant Dominic Doyle, from Croydon CID, who investigated the case said: " Juba preyed on an extremely vulnerable young girl and kept her away from her parents and the people who care for her.
"The judge said that he had little doubt Juba was grooming her and that he had shown no remorse for his actions or their impact on the young girl involved."
Detective Chief Inspector Sian Thomas, from Croydon CID, said: "The safety of young people, and particularly those that are most vulnerable, is one of our top priorities. We've recently launched Operation Makesafe in Croydon to encourage people who work in the borough and come into contact with young people to report anything that might be of concern to police.
Juba was also given a five-year sexual offences prevention order.
