Vile pervert jailed for abusing schoolgirl
APA E D O P H I L E from Southport was caught with a schoolgirl while wearing only a dressing gown with a condom in his pocket.
Paul Lawrence, 56, groomed and repeatedly molested his victim, then took photographs of his abuse.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that Lawrence showered the “particularly vulnerable child” with expensive gifts.
But her mum became suspicious and, when police were contacted and raided his home, officers discovered them together.
Robert Dudley, prosecuting, said the mum discovered messages from Lawrence on her daugh- ter’s phone inviting her to “come and play”. Her daughter assured her nothing untoward was going on.
Lawrence then bought the girl a new iPhone, which her mum did not have the PIN to access. But she discovered a lewd message from Lawrence on the girl’s iPad, inciting her to dress sexually for him.
Police raided his home, where they caught him – wearing only a dressing gown – with the girl. Mr Dudley said: “There was a condom and tissues in the pocket of the dressing gown.”
Lawrence admitted sending the girl an “inappropriate message” and officers seized his phone, along with her phone and tablet.
When interviewed, Lawrence said he could not explain why he had sent the text and denied any wrongdoing. Police found photos on the girl’s phone, showing him abusing her, but she refused to assist police and he made no comment.
He admitted four offences of sexual activity with a child and one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. Lawrence, now of Whitegate Road, Holmfirth, West Yorks, also admitted two offences of taking indecent photos of a child.
Gerard Doran, defending, said his client pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. He said: “This defendant does not seek to shy away from his responsibility. He acknowledges he was the adult, that he was in the wrong and whatever he did he is responsible for and he acknowledges he should be punished for it.”
Judge Thomas Teague, QC, said Lawrence knew how vulnerable his victim was: “You bought her expensive gifts and so on and took advantage of her.”
He told Lawrence his abuse had a “dreadful impact” on the “particularly vulnerable child”.
Lawrence showed no emotion in the dock as he was jailed for six years and nine months. The judge told him to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register and comply with a sexual harm prevention order for life.