An ex-Pc has admitted grooming, abducting and sexually assaulting a vulnerable 13-year-old girl while he was still a serving officer.

Haider Siddique, who was with West Midlands Police, met his victim online and groomed her for sexual purposes while claiming to be offering her support, the force said.

The 22-year-old admitted the offences at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday, as well as a charge of inciting a child to commit a sex act.

He was only arrested after a bus driver spotted him acting inappropriately towards the victim in March 2022, whilst he was on long-term sick leave.

The sharp-eyed and conscientious driver then alerted the force to what they had seen on the bus, leading to an investigation and identification of the victim.

Siddique had joined the force as a student officer in August 2021, before going on long-term sick leave in November that year.

The force said he had never been deployed in an operational role.

He resigned while in custody, after his arrest, and will be sentenced on March 3.

Speaking after the outcome of the court case, Deputy Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine said: “This was a sickening criminal act by a former student officer, who appeared to be offering support to this vulnerable young girl but was in fact grooming her sexually.”

She said the force had conducted a “robust and meticulous” investigation, and is “committed to rooting out any member of staff who engages in criminality”.

The senior officer said Siddique’s crimes had “significantly impacted” on his victim, adding colleagues would be “repulsed by his behaviour”.