October 2014
Van driver guilty of sex abuse on girl during delivery runs
A VAN driver has been found guilty of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl on delivery runs. Courier David Jordan told a jury he took the youngster on around two daytime delivery runs as well as two early morning newspaper delivery rounds.
But he told Bristol Crown Court: “It was innocent. There was nothing to be concerned about.”
The 51-year-old, of Kelbra Crescent in Frampton Cotterell, denied wrongdoing but was convicted of six indecent assaults.
Judge Mark Horton allowed him bail, pending a report for sentencing on November 20
Jordan told the court the complainant went out with him in his van some four occasions, including “a couple of times” on early morning newspaper deliveries.
Jordan said: “I guess it would have been her school holiday.
“She liked to come on the trip.
“The newspapers were seven days a week.
“When I talked to her it would just have been general chit-chat.”
Jordan said the girl would have asked to go out in his van with him, and he asked her to make sure it was OK with her mum and dad.
He said: “I wouldn’t have let her come if there was any negativity there.”
Jordan told the court when the girl made allegations against him he was arrested and his reaction was one of disbelief.
He said: “I was shocked. I never did anything to her.
“There is no basis whatsoever for her to tell anybody that I had.”
Jordan said he liked the girl’s company, he liked chatting with her and he liked her.
He said: “She was great. There were no problems at all there.”
It was claimed Jordan would get the girl to take her clothes off in the back of his van.
The girl also alleged he tied her up for a “sex game”, though Jordan explained his van was normally filled with cargo and he carried no rope, just webbing straps to secure items.
Kerry Barker, prosecuting, told the jury the girl was even taken on holiday with Jordan and his wife and two children.
He claimed Jordan assaulted his victim on one of his daughter’s beds while the rest of the family were out.
The jury was told the assaults stopped when the victim got her first boyfriend. She went on to lead a normal life until she saw him in a chance encounter at her work.
She even confronted him while suffering a breakdown, asking for an apology after inviting him to her house in the presence of a friend.
Later on she saw pictures of him on Facebook which brought back memories, prompting her to finally contact police in July of last year
