A TAKEAWAY owner who lured young girls into his car and gave them cannabis has been jailed.

Lukman Miah, who runs the Curry House in Halliwell Road, was found to have three girls aged 12, 14 and 15 in his car for about three hours in the early hours of the morning.

The girls were said to have been in his car on a number of occasions over a period of more than two months.

Their parents had tried to protest and made efforts to tell him not to contact them again, but he continued.

Miah, aged 29, of Begonia Avenue, Farnworth, said he had no sexual motive for having the girls in his car, and claimed he knew one of them because their parents ordered from his takeaway.

He was jailed for two years at Bolton Crown Court today, with the offence also breaching a bail condition over a “similar” alleged offence.

The court heard that Miah gave the girls money, chocolate and sweets, as well as cannabis.

He claimed that one girl had asked him for a lift, and that she then asked if he could give two friends a lift.

Miah had parked on the driveway of a farmer in Egerton after buying himself and the girls a takeaway meal.

Graeme Wilson, the man who owns the farm in Cox Green Lane, had noticed piles of rubbish outside his land and caught the culprits at about 3.45am on November 30 last year.

When he confronted Miah, he was shocked to see three young girls in the car, which was said to "reek" of cannabis.

Police were called, and the girls were said to be "in a state" and “did not make any sense” because of the drugs.

Miah, who pleaded guilty to four counts of child abduction, claimed he and the three girls were “chilling” and listening to music in the car.

Addressing Miah, Judge Timothy Clayson said: “You knew it was completely wrong to have these girls in your car, A, because it is blindingly obvious, and B, because of your bail condition.

“This offence happened over a period of some hours, which would have been extremely worrying to parents who were already anxious and had tried to put a stop to this.”

After the hearing, Det Sgt Pete Astbury, of Bolton police, said: “Miah had targeted the girls, knowing how young they were, and bought them chocolate and gave them money.

“Thankfully, Miah has been caught and will face the consequences of his actions.”

His brother, Mizan Ali, was also in court for sentencing after he tried to make one of the girls pick out the wrong person in an identity parade, and for interfering with a witness.

Ali, aged 25, also of Begonia Avenue, Farnworth, was given a 10-month sentence, suspended for 12 months, after admitting perverting the course of justice.

Addressing Ali, Judge Clayson said: “You behaved in a very misguided and illegal way after this incident.”