A man who committed a sex offence against a 12-year-old girl has been jailed at Lincoln Crown Court. Shaun Coles, 24, and the girl messaged each other over Facebook and after they met Coles committed the offence against her. Tony Stanford, prosecuting, said the offence came to light after the girl went missing. Her mother…
A man who committed a sex offence against a 12-year-old girl has been jailed at Lincoln Crown Court.
Shaun Coles, 24, and the girl messaged each other over Facebook and after they met Coles committed the offence against her.
Tony Stanford, prosecuting, said the offence came to light after the girl went missing.
Her mother checked the girl’s Facebook account and discovered she had been exchanging “inappropriate” messages with Coles.
The girl returned home later the same day and when police spoke to her she admitted that she had spent time with Coles.
Mr Stanford said: “She allowed the officer to look at the messages on her phone.
“Clearly there was a lot of inappropriate conversation and activity had taken place. There were numerous references to them being in love and to kissing and cuddling.”
When Coles was interviewed by police he said he knew that the girl was only 12 years old. He admitted that his behaviour was unacceptable with a girl of that age.
Coles, 24, of Church Street, Louth, admitted a charge of assault by penetration on a girl under the age of 13 on April 7, 2016.
He was jailed for 30 months and placed on the sex offenders’ register for life.
Coles was also given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
Judge Michael Heath, passing sentence, told him: “You knew that she was 12 years old. You were twice her age.
“This was not the girl’s fault. She was the victim and you should not have behaved in the way you did.”
Grace Hale, in mitigation, described Coles as “very immature” and said he had issues with ADHD.
She told the court “He has been candid in his admissions to the police.
“He had only known the girl for a short time before this incident.
“He has said that as and when he is released he would like to leave the Lincolnshire area and start again somewhere else.”
Whatsapp
