October 2014
A MAN and woman who met on the internet have been given long jail sentences for planning the rape of a two-year-old girl
Sheena Gorton, of Beech Road, Bromsgrove, was jailed for thirteen-and-a-half years and Paul Price, described by the judge as a “dangerous paedophile,” was given a total sentence of 17 years.
Caroline Bradley, prosecuting, told Worcester Crown Court the two met after 34-year-old Gorton contacted his girlfriend at the time, Nikki Figes, on a lesbian and bisexual website, Rainbow Girls.
Miss Figes, who did not have any idea about the conspiracy and was not involved, said she had a boyfriend and Gorton got in touch with him.
Price, aged 35, of Nant Erin, Tonyrafeil, Porth, Mid Glamorgan, told Gorton he wanted to leave Miss Figes and marry her after he learned she was prepared to assist him in carrying out the rape and abuse of a child, Miss Bradley said.
Between November, 2011, and January, 2012, they exchanged up to 700 messages a day by text and on the internet carefully planning the rape. There were a total of 30,000 explicit messages covering 3,000 pages, Miss Bradley said. Some discussed their marriage and having a baby themselves so Price could abuse their child.
Price visited Gorton in Bromsgrove in January 2012, and it seemed she was not as attracted to him when she he met him in the flesh, Miss Bradley said.
On January 16, Gorton left her phone and computer with a member of her family for upgrading. The messages were discovered and police were called.
Gorton and Price both pleaded guilty to two charges of conspiracy to rape on the day a trial was due to start earlier this year. Gorton also pleaded guilty to making and distributing indecent images of a child.
Psychological reports were put forward in defence but Judge Abbas Mithani said there was no mitigation for the “appalling offences.”
Their behaviour, he said, was “vile and despicable”. The plan was “loathsome and sickening” and it was only because they were discovered that no rape took place. He did not accept either of them had any genuine remorse or regret.
He described Price as a “dangerous paedophile” who posed a significant risk. He gave him a sentence of 13-and-a-half years with an extended licence period of a further three-and-a-half years. He will only be released early if the parole board is satisfied he is no longer a risk.
Gorton was jailed for 13-and-a-half years on the conspiracy charges with two months each for the indecent images to run concurrently.
Both were given sexual offences prevention orders restricting future use of computers and involvement with children and they will have to register as sex offenders indefinitely.
