A former US marine who had sex with a 12-year-old British girl after "grooming" her on the Internet was due to be sentenced today.
Toby Studabaker (33) flew to Paris with the girl after an arranged meeting at Manchester Airport last July. The following night they drank vodka in the hotel and had sex in their room.
After police began an international manhunt, the pair travelled to Strasbourg and then to Stuttgart, Germany.
The girl flew back to Manchester on July 16th, four days after leaving the country. Studabaker was arrested in Frankfurt on the same day.
Studabaker, from Michigan, pleaded guilty to child abduction and to inciting a child to commit gross indecency at Manchester Crown Court in February. He was being sentenced at Manchester Crown Court today.
The former bible scholar, who was decorated for his service in Afghanistan, could not be charged with underage sex because he is not British and the intercourse did not take place in Britain.
After serving his sentence, he will be extradited to the United States to face four charges of sexually exploiting the girl. The girl, who lives with her parents in Greater Manchester, cannot be identified.
PA