A BRADFORD man who manipulated two vulnerable 15-year-old girls into engaging in sexual activity with him has been jailed for six years.

Xavier McManus, 22, even threatened to harm himself to persuade the girls to meet him, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Jailing him, Judge Jonathan Rose told McManus he was a danger to young girls. He ordered the defendant should be subject to an extended four-year licence period when he is released.

The judge told McManus, of Leeds Road, Bradford, who pleaded guilty to two offences of sexual activity with a child, his case was deeply troubling.

Judge Rose said: “I am quite satisfied that you have knowingly engaged in sexual relations with two young, vulnerable girls, each of them susceptible to the advances of an older man and each of them manipulated by your entreaties and your threats that you would harm yourself.”

He added: “Each girl was exceptionally vulnerable at the time and each has suffered substantially in the sense of psychological harm since these offences were committed against them.”

The court heard McManus met one of the girls last August, after messaging her through Facebook. He took her to a secluded spot and kissed her. When the girl told him she was only 15, McManus said he did not care.

He sexually assaulted her. She pushed him away and made it clear she did not want the activity to go any further, but he persisted. He started crying when he realised he could not get his own way.

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Days later he sent messages wanting to see her again and threatening to kill himself.

The girl confided in her mother and McManus was arrested and bailed.

He also contacted the second girl by Facebook in April or May last year. They met up and there was a relationship which involved kissing. McManus manipulated the relationship until the girl visited his home in Bradford in November, while he was on bail for the first offence.

He removed their clothes and they had sexual intercourse. Later that month she told somebody at her school. Her parents and police were informed and McManus was again arrested.

Judge Rose said neither of the girls were to blame or responsible for what happened to them. He praised their courage.