May 2014
Grimsby sex offender said he wanted to ‘kiss and cuddle’ girl, 10, after trying to meet with her
A SEX offender targeted a 10-year-old girl after spotting her with her two sisters in the street – and tried to make arrangements to meet her.
He passed his telephone number to the other girls, making it clear he wanted to meet her – but he denied he had sexual motives.
He later sent text messages saying he loved the girl but the girl’s mother knew about his plan and used the messages to trap him, a court heard.
A judge branded it “very alarming behaviour” and said it could have been “terrifying” for such a young girl.
Andrew Maddison, 46, of Orion Way, Laceby Acres, Grimsby, admitted attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.
Stephen Welch, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that three sisters were collecting money for Halloween in Cleethorpes, when they noticed Maddison watching them.
The next day, they again spotted him watching them.
He approached two of them and gave them a card with his telephone number.
He told them he wanted them to give it to their sister, aged 10, and he gave the others £1 coins.
The girls told their mother, who in a bid to trap him, sent him a text message saying: “You asked my friend to give you this number.”
Maddison telephoned the number but an older sister took the call and gave a false name.
Maddison made it clear he wanted to go out on a date and asked to meet her.
He sent a text confirming what he thought was a meeting.
The mother alerted the police and, on October 31, they waited near some shops, where they spotted Maddison loitering.
A detective telephoned his phone and Maddison was unaware he was speaking to the police. He was arrested.
His phone was found to have several text messages from him saying: “I love you very, very much.”
Maddison later claimed he just “wanted somebody to talk to” and to go for a meal with him. If things had progressed, he would have asked her to marry him.
He said he had been married to a woman from the Ukraine for three years but she walked out on him.
All he wanted to do was to talk to someone about his marriage, he claimed.
He claimed some of his comments in texts were “all a joke” and that he intended to take the girl for a walk on the beach before returning her to the shops.
He claimed he had the card because he had learning difficulties and could not remember his own phone number.
He claimed he gave it “on impulse”.
He realised she was under 16.
Maddison denied wanting to have sex with the girl and insisted he would not have forced her.
He just wanted to “kiss and cuddle her”.
Maddison had no previous convictions and had been in custody since October 31.
He was given a three-year supervision order, including a sex offenders’ treatment programme, and must register as a sex offender for five years.
He was given a seven-year sexual offences prevention order and must pay a £60 statutory charge.
