EDWARD CAMBRIDGE FROM CO ANTRIM ADMITS SEXUAL ASSAULT ON 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL

In a significant development at Belfast Crown Court, Edward Stuart Cambridge, a 21-year-old man from Co Antrim, has confessed to committing a sexual assault against a young girl aged just 12. This admission came during a court session held on a Wednesday, shortly after the jury had been dismissed from hearing his trial, which was initially scheduled to determine his guilt on multiple charges.

The incident in question is believed to have taken place sometime between December 31, 2010, and February 1, 2011, although the exact date remains unspecified. The court was informed that Cambridge had engaged in a troubling pattern of behavior involving the young girl, which included grooming and subsequent sexual contact.

Following his guilty plea, the prosecution's legal team moved to keep additional charges on the record. Specifically, they requested that a further count of sexual assault and a charge related to meeting a child after grooming be retained for future proceedings. These steps indicate the seriousness with which the case is being treated and the potential for additional legal consequences for Cambridge.

The court proceedings revealed that Cambridge had initially obtained the girl’s mobile phone number and began communicating with her via text messages. The communication escalated when he invited her to meet him at his mother’s residence, where he then engaged in kissing her. The relationship between Cambridge and the girl appeared to have ended when authorities discovered text messages on her phone, which likely contributed to the case's development.

Despite his guilty plea, Cambridge was granted bail and is set to be sentenced next month, pending the completion of probation reports. However, Judge Gordon Kerr QC issued a stern warning to Cambridge, cautioning him not to interpret the bail as a sign of leniency or a guarantee of the final outcome. The judge’s remarks underscore the gravity of the situation and the serious consequences that may follow once sentencing is finalized.