POLICE OFFICER CHRISTOPHER BILLINGE JAILED IN SUNDERLAND FOR SEX WITH 14-YEAR-OLD IN NOVEMBER 2006

In November 2006, a probationary police officer was sentenced to a year in prison following his misconduct involving a 14-year-old girl. Pc Christopher Billinge, 26, traveled from his home in Lancashire to Sunderland to engage in sexual activity with the underage girl while her parents were on holiday.

Billinge, who was a constable with Lancashire Police, had met the girl through an internet chatroom. He subsequently exchanged explicit MSN messages, emails, mobile texts, and calls with her. The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claimed she was a year older and approaching her 16th birthday. However, Billinge – who falsely stated he was 22 – did not wait until she turned 16. Instead, he waited until her parents were away and her grandfather was caring for her, then set out on a journey from Chorley to Wearside in September of the previous year.

At Newcastle Crown Court, prosecutor Christopher Knox revealed how Billinge charmed the girl’s grandfather and took her out for pizza before returning to her home where they had sex. "It is quite clear that although she did mislead the defendant into thinking she was 15 rather than 14, she was not yet 16, and it was a significant criminal offence to have sexual intercourse with her," said Mr. Knox.

He explained that evidence from the girl’s MSN conversations indicated Billinge was fully aware she was 15, citing at least 11 references confirming she was under 16. During these messages, Billinge asked if she was feeling 'randy,' described what he would do to her, inquired about her 16th birthday, and referenced a ticking clock, raising suspicion.

The prosecutor noted that the girl’s mother became suspicious of Billinge’s relationship with her daughter because of the significant age disparity. When Billinge realized police might be contacted, he destroyed his computer to hide the explicit online chats with the girl. He was subsequently arrested and suspended from Lancashire Police, with the possibility of dismissal.

Defense counsel Ray Herman highlighted that Billinge, a Cardiff University graduate from Liverpool, was well-regarded in his community and amongst friends and family. "He has lost his good name, and it is a disgrace he is finding hard to bear," Herman commented.

Billinge changed his plea to guilty on the eve of the trial, admitting one count of sexual activity with a girl he knew to be under 16. A second charge of sexual grooming was left on file. Throughout the proceedings, he kept his head bowed.

Judge Esmond Faulks sentenced him to 12 months in prison and ordered registration as a sex offender for 10 years. The judge emphasized that Billinge was acutely aware that the girl was below the age of consent, citing his visit and overnight stay in September, their sexual encounter, and his departure the following day.