Girl's ticklist snares child abuse pervert

Gary Sheridan, 30, of Powell Avenue, Marton, admitted sexual activity with a child between January 12 and February 21, 2015.

In a victim statement the heartbroken mum said she felt she had “lost her little girl” and that the family felt guilt at what had happened. The girl had only just turned 13.

Sentencing him to six years and three months, Judge Stuart Baker said: “She was a young adolescent girl and you were a mature adult more than twice her age. Although she may have been willing, she cannot in anyway be regarded as having the same level of maturity. You took advantage of her immaturity.”

Prosecuting, Frances McEntee said: “The defendant at the time was 27 and it is clear from the background that the two parties knew of each other but did not know each other well.

“The matters came to the attention of police following concerns raised by the girl’s sister who received a message she was engaged in a sexual relationship with another person and that information, together with concerns about her behaviour at the time, had caused her mother to take a significant step of taking away her phone and iPad and checking the record of calls and documents on those equipment.

“Her mother recovered a list with seven names on it and the defendant appeared at number 5.

“Her mother was particularly concerned that ages ranged from 14 to 27 - the defendant was the eldest on the list.”

Police launched a probe in which they examined the girl’s social media profiles and messages and found a conversation in which he asks her to come for a drive, followed by lurid sexual chat.

He drove her to a remote country lane where the offences happened.

The court heard after their encounter the schoolgirl had contacted the man’s partner, asked her if she knew what had happened, and then learned his partner was pregnant.

Sheridan also admitted a string of fraud and driving offences, and assaulting two PCs. Defending, Rachel Woods said he had put his time in custody to good use and had had time to “reflect” on what he had done.

He is barred from working with vulnerable people and was given a six year driving ban.

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