December 13, 2021 12.39 pm This story is over 27 months old

Lincolnshire funfair worker jailed after offering underage girl £1.3k for sex

He met the girl at a secluded spot near Loughborough
Calvin Stockdale was jailed for five years. | Photo: Lincolnshire Police

A Grantham man who had sex with an underage girl after offering her £1,300 has been jailed for five years, Lincoln Crown Court heard on Monday.

Calvin Stockdale, 23, never paid the child any money after meeting her at a secluded spot near Loughborough.

Lincoln Crown Court heard there was a five year age gap between Stockdale and his victim at the time of the offence in October 2018.

Sarah Knight, prosecuting, said the pair met up at the location after exchanging messages.

Miss Knight told the court: “He offered her £1,300 to have sex with her.

“He knew how old she was, he knew she was 14.”

Miss Knight said the girl tried to contact Stockdale after they had sex but he blocked her and never paid her any money.

The police became involved in March 2019 after the girl confided in a relative and a discarded condom was found at the scene.

Stockdale initially claimed the condom was not connected to him and later said he believed the girl was 16.

DNA evidence connected him and the girl to the condom.

In a victim impact statement the girl, who cannot be named, said she stopped talking to people and became concerned of what others would think after the incident.

She also suffered serious mental health issues.

Steven Gosnell, mitigating, said Stockdale had a troubled upbringing but had not been involved in any other sexual incidents since the offence.

Mr Gosnell told the court Stockdale had been working on funfairs but was hoping for a fresh start after he is released from custody.

Stockdale, of Dryden Close, Grantham, admitted a single offence of paying a child for sexual services in October 2018.

He was jailed for five years and must also register as a sex offender for life. He was also made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Passing sentence Judge Simon Hirst told Stockdale there had been a significant disparity in age.

Judge Hirst said: “You were affectively a third of years older.

“But more significant is your offering of money, which on any view was grooming and exploitative behaviour.”