JAMES BRIERLEY FROM MARTON SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING UNDERAGE GIRLS IN CARLISLE

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the local community, James Brierley, a man originally from Marton, has been convicted of serious sexual offences involving underage girls and has now been released into the Carlisle area. The legal proceedings, which took place at Preston Crown Court, revealed disturbing details about Brierley's actions and the extent of his misconduct.

Back in June 2014, Brierley's criminal activities came to light when he was found guilty of engaging in sexual activities with a minor and attempting to meet another underage girl through social media. The court heard that Brierley, then aged 23, had been involved in a series of inappropriate communications via Facebook, which included explicit messages and grooming behavior. His actions culminated in a meeting at the beach, where he had sexual relations with a 13-year-old girl. This incident was part of a broader pattern of predatory behavior that the court described as deeply concerning.

Further investigations uncovered that Brierley was in possession of indecent images of children, which he had accessed through his computer. A laptop seized during his arrest in February of that year revealed that he had viewed 20 indecent images of minors. Although his computer equipment was also examined in relation to his contact with the second girl, no indecent material was found on that device. The court was informed that Brierley's online interactions with the second girl, also 13 at the time, involved explicit conversations in which he expressed a desire to have sex with her in his car. These messages had initially ceased but later resumed until her father reported the activity to the police, leading to Brierley's arrest.

During the sentencing hearing, the judge, Heather Lloyd, emphasized her concern over Brierley's attitude, noting that he had minimized and justified his actions in a pre-sentence report. She described him as a sexual predator and expressed her disapproval of his apparent lack of remorse. Brierley, who had pleaded guilty to multiple charges including two counts of sexual activity with a child, attempting to meet a girl following grooming, and five counts of making or possessing indecent images of children, was sentenced to 76 months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was subject to a sexual offences prevention order.

Prosecutor Richard Haworth highlighted that Brierley's misconduct began when he was 20 years old, with the first victim being a 13-year-old girl with whom he communicated via Facebook. The court was told that their conversations gradually became sexual in nature, leading to their meeting at the beach. The second girl, also 13, was contacted through social media, and her interactions with Brierley involved explicit messages and grooming behavior. Her father’s intervention and subsequent police report brought the case to a close.

Defence lawyer Fraser Livesey argued that Brierley had experienced a troubled childhood, marked by bullying and social isolation, which led him to seek companionship online. He acknowledged his immaturity and expressed hope that Brierley had begun to understand the gravity of his actions and was committed to addressing his behavior. The judge, in her sentencing remarks, acknowledged the vulnerability of the victims and expressed her concern that Brierley's primary motivation appeared to be sexual gratification, regardless of the harm inflicted on the girls or the impact on their families. She made it clear that such behavior was unacceptable and warranted significant punishment, which resulted in his current sentence and ongoing registration requirements.