JAMES WALKER SENTENCED IN HARTLEPOOL AND SKELTON FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL

In a significant case that has drawn attention from law enforcement and the local community, James Walker, a 30-year-old man from Skelton, has been sentenced to 40 months in prison after being found guilty of engaging in sexual activities with a 13-year-old girl. The incident took place across the towns of Hartlepool and Skelton, highlighting the serious nature of the offences committed by Walker.

According to court proceedings, Walker met the young girl through an online social website on December 10 of the previous year. Over the following days, the communication between them intensified, culminating in a planned meeting in Middlesbrough on December 16. Walker traveled from Skelton to Middlesbrough by bus, where the two met and spent time walking around the town. During their encounter, the girl explicitly told Walker she was only 13 years old. The court heard that they shared a kiss and cuddled during this meeting, which lasted about an hour before Walker returned home.

In the days that followed, Walker continued to contact the girl, sending her graphic images of himself and even a video of a sexual act. The situation escalated further in January when Walker arranged another meeting in Middlesbrough. This time, the girl was accompanied by a friend, and they visited shops where Walker bought her a teddy bear and a card, seemingly attempting to maintain a friendly facade.

Subsequently, Walker invited the girl to his sister’s flat in Hartlepool. They traveled there together by bus on January 4. Once at the flat, Walker’s sister left to go to the launderette, leaving Walker and the girl alone. During this visit, the court was told that they engaged in mutual sexual activity. Afterward, the girl left and took a bus home alone. The police arrested Walker on January 21, following an investigation into his activities.

During police interviews, Walker admitted that the girl appeared very young and acknowledged that she looked around 13 or 14 years old, possibly even younger. He confessed that his visit to his sister’s flat was intended for sexual activity with the girl and accepted that she had told him she was 13 after their initial meeting. Walker’s defense, represented by Jodie Kidd, argued that the girl had encouraged him to send explicit images of herself and that she had also sent him sexual photographs. The defense also highlighted that the girl’s father had contacted police on January 18, expressing serious concerns after discovering her online conversations with multiple men aged 17 to 30, some of whom she told she loved.

Judge Gilliam Matthews QC addressed Walker directly in court, emphasizing the gravity of his actions. He stated, “The serious nature of your offending cannot be denied. Regardless of whether or not she did throw herself at you, sending you photographs of herself in sexual positions, you were 30 years of age. You had plenty of opportunities to disengage from the link with this child.”

As a result of his guilty plea to three counts of sexual activity with a minor, Walker was sentenced to four years and four months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for life, placed under a Sexual Offences Prevention Order that prohibits him from internet contact with children until further notice, and disqualified from working with children in any capacity.

Detective Constable Iain Pearson of Middlesbrough CID expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, stating, “The sentence demonstrates that police take incidents of this nature extremely seriously and those people that commit such offences will be dealt with robustly by the courts. I hope the victim and her family can take some comfort from the outcome and she can now move on with her life. We encourage any victims of sexual abuse to come forward and not suffer in silence.”