EMMA BURTON/PRICE GROOMED TEEN BOY IN BIRKENSHAW AND LANCASTER

In July 2017, a disturbing case emerged involving Emma Burton, also known as Emma Price, a woman from Birkenshaw, Bradford, who engaged in a calculated and manipulative campaign to groom a 13-year-old boy for sexual activity. The troubling sequence of events unfolded when Burton, a mother of four, used her influence and resources to target the young teenager, employing a series of manipulative tactics that included the lavish giving of gifts and persistent messaging.

Burton, aged 35, took the boy shopping in her luxury BMW M4, a vehicle valued at around £60,000. The gifts she lavished upon him were paid for using her husband's company credit card, indicating a level of financial privilege that she exploited to manipulate the young victim. Her communication with the boy was relentless, bombarding him with Snapchat messages that created a false sense of intimacy and trust.

The police became involved after a police alert was issued concerning her vehicle, which led to her being stopped in Lancashire with the boy in her car. During the police stop, officers seized various items from her vehicle, including boys’ underwear she had purchased for the teenager, as well as lingerie she had bought for herself. These items underscored the inappropriate nature of her relationship with the boy. The police also recovered other evidence, such as a receipt for £535 worth of items, further illustrating her intent to maintain the grooming process.

Prior to her arrest, Burton had arranged for the boy to travel from Greater Manchester to the Midlands, giving him £200 for the journey by taxi. Once there, she booked a hotel room, where the boy met her in the early hours of the morning. During their time together, Burton falsely told hotel reception staff that the boy was her nephew. The young boy, in a state of emotional attachment, called his parents from the hotel and expressed his feelings, saying, “I love Emma, I’m going to make a life with her.”

At the time of these events, Burton was already on bail, having been arrested weeks earlier due to her inappropriate contact with the boy. The police had previously been alerted after the boy’s mother discovered an image on his iPad showing Burton kissing him. She also found a video of Burton performing a sex act on herself in the shower, along with the aforementioned receipt for the expensive items. Despite being under investigation and served with an abduction notice intended to prevent her from seeing the boy, Burton defied these restrictions and spent the night with him in the Midlands.

Following their time together, Burton and the boy went shopping at the Trafford Centre for designer clothes and underwear. Their activities were interrupted when police stopped her car in Preston, leading to her arrest and the return of the boy to his family. The case was brought before Manchester Crown Court, where Burton faced charges including sexual activity with a child, meeting a child following sexual grooming, and facilitating travel for exploitation.

During the court proceedings, Burton was supported by her family, including her husband. Judge Tony Cross QC delivered the sentence, emphasizing the disturbing nature of her actions. He highlighted that Burton’s behavior demonstrated her manipulative power over the young boy and how she had made him feel under her control. The judge pointed out that Burton’s gifts were not only meant to groom the boy but also to silence him, and that she continued her misconduct despite warnings, believing she had the boy “under her spell.” The court’s verdict reflected the seriousness of her offenses and the harm caused to the young victim.