Man who ran off with 15-year-old girl gets jail term

THREE YEARS FOR SEXUAL OFFENCE

A 30-YEAR-OLD man who ran off with a 15-year-old girl has been jailed.

The girl went missing from home in October last year, returning two days later.

Police investigating her disappearance discovered she had been with Kevin John Flannigan, 30, of Tuckers Road, Loughborough, and had sex with him during that time.

Flannigan was arrested, despite the girl’s reluctance to help police prosecute him.

Flannigan pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual activity with a girl under 16 at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on September 28 this year and he appeared at Leicester Crown Court for sentencing on Monday.

Detective Constable Sue Cockerill said: “Although the victim didn’t support our decision to prosecute him, we know through our inquiries that a serious sexual offence was carried out by Flannigan and his guilty plea only confirms that.

“Child sexual exploitation remains a priority for the force.

“We continue to be committed to tackling this issue, as well as protecting and safeguarding those children often at risk of this crime and focusing on the offenders who target them.”

Flannigan was jailed for three years and four months and given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and put on the sex offender register for life.