April 2016
Lancaster soldier jailed for sexual abuse of 13-year-old girl
A soldier who groomed and sexually abused a 13-year-old girl has been jailed for four and a half years.
Preston Crown Court heard a harrowing statement from the girl’s mum who said the family had been devastated when they learned Sean Worley, 23, had abused their daughter.
Worley, of Whitbarrow Square, Lancaster, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child after a member of staff at the girl’s school saw text messages between Worley and the pupil.
In April 2014 the teenager agreed to go to Worley’s house after a string of text and Facebook messages.
The pair had discussed having sex but when her age came up in the course of their online conversation, Worley told her: “If it doesn’t bother you, it doesn’t bother me.”
On the day of her visit, Worley was at home with family, but led the youngster straight to his bedroom where they had sex.
They kept in touch but a few weeks late Worley became jealous she was speaking to other boys and blocked her on social media, the court heard.
Worley was arrested on June 14 and denied having sex with the schoolgirl.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child on the day he was due to stand trial at Preston Crown Court.
In a statement read to the court, the girl’s mum, who can not be named for legal reasons, said: “My daughter had only just turned 13 when he had sex with her.
“He was an adult and she was a child. He groomed her buying her cigarettes and alcohol.
“I was speechless.
“How could a grown man do this to a young child, because that is what she was?”
Since the incident, the girl has gone missing from home and spent time in foster care as her behaviour spiralled out of control.
Her mum said: “This has affected her schooling – she is very capable but becomes disruptive. She was very angry. “Not only has this man done something which could not be taken back, he didn’t admit what he had done. He called her a liar since June 2014.”
The court heard Worley is immature with poor cognitive ability and is likely to lose his army career as a result of his conviction.
Mr Justice Sweeney, sentencing, told him: “It was her first significant sexual experience and while it is clear to me you are not as mature as your age would otherwise indicate, you knew perfectly well what you were doing.
“You did groom her in an unsophisticated manner and as a result of text messages you got her to go to your address and you had your way with her, as you wanted and as you knew perfectly well was completely wrong with a child of that age.”
Justice Sweeney jailed Worley for four and a half years and made him the subject of a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO)
