March 2015
Convicted paedophile who abused boy is jailed, this time for abusing a schoolgirl
PERVERT Brian Edwards has been jailed after he indecently assaulted a schoolgirl
The 30-year-old abused the vulnerable youngster when he was a teenager, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard.
He sat the girl, who was aged seven or eight, on his knee and asked her to touch his private parts.
But the victim only felt strong enough to report the abuse in November 2013.
Now Edwards – who has a previous conviction for indecent assault on a boy – has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.
Prosecutor Kevin Grego said the girl’s mum often took her to a flat and while she was in a room with adults the victim played on a computer in a spare room. Mr Grego said: “The defendant had come into the property.
“He manoeuvred his trousers down to his thighs and then started playing with himself.
“He asked her to touch his private parts.
“It probably went on for five minutes or so.”
The victim told her partner about the abuse in 2013 before she reported it to the police.
In his police interview the defendant denied any such incident occurred.
But Edwards, of Brookhouse Drive, Barlaston, pleaded guilty to indecency with a child on the day of his trial in February.
Catherine O’Reilly, mitigating, said the defendant was under 18 when he committed the offence.
Miss O’Reilly said: “He was reckless, immature, was drinking alcohol to excess, and taking cannabis.
“He has expressed real remorse and is deeply regretful for the hurt he has caused.
“He is very ashamed.
“This was some time ago. He feels he is a different person to the young man who acted in this manner many years ago. Since that time he has married and became a father himself.”
Judge David Fletcher lifted reporting restrictions which magistrates imposed to allow Edwards to remain anonymous.
Jailing the defendant, Judge Fletcher said: “You victim was a little girl and was vulnerable.
“What you did clearly has had a long lasting effect on her and continues to do so to this day.”
Edwards, who will serve half the sentence with the rest on licence, will be on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.
