A MOTORIST who stopped a woman in Bolton’s red light area claimed he was trying to find directions.

Bolton magistrates heard how 62-year-old Sikander Khan wound down his car window in Glebe Street, near the town centre, and asked the woman, “Do you do business?”

only for her to reply: “No, because I am a police officer!”

Joanna White, prosecuting, said the officer was in plain clothes, walking along streets in the red light area in the early hours of March 3 as part of Operation Zero, a police clampdown on prostitution and kerb crawling in the area.

At 12.40am she was walking along Salop Street when a car driven by Khan approached her from behind and flashed its lights before turning into Glebe Street.

Khan, who had a male passenger with him, then wound down the car window to talk to the officer and was arrested.

Miss White said that when interviewed by police Khan denied he had been trying to pick up a prostitute, claiming he had become lost while taking his friend home to the Deane area and did not know it was the red light area.

Khan, of Eustace Street, Great Lever, had pleaded not guilty and was due to stand trial for kerb crawling at Bolton Magistrates Court yesterday but changed his plea to guilty.

Julie Whiteman, defending, said: “He is deeply ashamed of his behaviour and it has been very difficult for him to admit what he has done.”

Magistrates fined Khan £150 and ordered him to pay £100 prosecution costs and a £15 victim surcharge.