A takeaway worker who offered fast food to befriend teenage girls for sex has today been jailed.

Homayon Narouzzad, aged 35, of Radcliffe New Road, Whitefield, had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at Bolton Crown Court to 34 offences of sexual activity with a child.

He was sentenced to four years imprisonment and ordered to remain on licence for eight years.

Narouzzad was charged in relation to 18 girls, aged between 12 and 15, but police interviewed or spoke to a total of 37 teenage girls as part of a wide ranging inquiry.

Narouzzad, originally from Iran, was granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK in 2010 after moving here in January 2000.

He worked behind the counter of the Family Guy takeaway, formally Chicken Hut, and lived in a flat above it.

Between May 2010 and March 2011 he used his position to meet a succession of young girls and encourage them to perform sexual acts on him for money.

He befriended most of them by initially offering them free food, and making conversation with them. He then progressed to persuading them to come into the takeaway⿿s back room while he was working alone, where the abuse would take place.

He paid his victims between £5 and £90, depending on the extent of the sex acts, and also abused girls in his flat above the shop.

Known locally as "Smiley" due to his happy and friendly nature, Narouzzad also had a particular sexual fetish for socks and feet.

Narouzzad was arrested on March 4 after police were contacted by a parent of one of the victims concerned about her child frequenting his flat.

In police interviews he refused to discuss the allegations and even refused to confirm he lived at the flat above the takeaway.

A number of victims went on to pick Narouzzad out in identity parades.

Detective Inspector Jane Little, of Bury CID, said: "Narouzzad abused his position to prey on young and vulnerable girls.

"He reeled them in by offering them free food for friendship before progressing things further by offering cash for sexual favours.

"This one man was responsible for the abuse of at least 18 young girls and possibly many more and I understand the justifiable concerns of the girls⿿ families and the wider community.

"I want to reassure everyone that when Narouzzad's dirty secret came to light we launched a multi-agency investigation to bring him to justice.

"We have been working closely with the local authority to ensure the investigation was carried out sensitively and with minimal disruption to the lives of these youngsters.

"Child sex exploitation is something that parents and carers everywhere should be aware of. It can be committed by all ethnicities and against boys as well as girls.

"Parents and carers should talk to their children, take an interest in what they are doing and warn them not to go off with strangers, no matter how tempting it might seem.

"As in other similar cases, some of Narouzzad's victims did not recognise that they were being exploited and sometimes confused exploitation with genuine affection.

"We work closely with local authorities, and other organisations such as Barnardo⿿s, to address the specific issue of adults befriending and grooming younger people for sex.

"Anyone who is concerned about a child or young person should call Greater Manchester Police and ask for their local Public Protection Investigation Unit on 0161 872 5050 or the NSPCC on 0800 800 5000. Any child or young person wanting help and advice can use the numbers above or contact Childline on 0800 1111.

Karen Dolton, Assistant Director for Social Care at Bury Council, said: “Since these issues came to light we have worked closely alongside the police to assist the investigation team and provide a wider multi-agency response. The sentencing hearing today does not mean that this is the end of the road in terms of supporting the victims of this crime.

“We will continue to work with the young people and their families to ensure that appropriate support is provided through a range of mechanisms, including counselling and care plans."