LIAM O’CONNOR FROM HUNGARTON CAUGHT IN SEXUAL OFFENSES INVOLVING TEENAGE GIRL AT HOUSE PARTY IN LEICESTER

In a case that has drawn significant attention, Liam O’Connor, a 23-year-old man from Baggrave Hall Road, Hungarton, was involved in a serious incident at a house party in Leicester during July 2016. The events unfolded when O’Connor engaged in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl he had shared a hot tub with during the gathering.

According to the prosecution, represented by James Varley, O’Connor was aware that the girl was underage at the time of the incident. The court heard that the situation escalated after the girl exited the hot tub, and both individuals went inside the house. They shared a consensual kiss before the girl followed O’Connor upstairs to a dark bedroom. There, they engaged in further kissing and sexual activity, which ultimately culminated in sexual intercourse.

However, their intimacy was interrupted when two other people unexpectedly entered the room, bringing an end to the encounter. Following this, the girl was seen to go to the bathroom, where she was sick. Her parents were subsequently contacted, and they reported the incident to the police, initiating a criminal investigation.

O’Connor, who was initially charged with multiple serious offenses including rape, sexual assault, and assault by penetration, later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of carrying out a sex act with a child. The case was scheduled for trial at Leicester Crown Court in May 2018, but proceedings were halted after one of the lead lawyers involved in the case fell ill, preventing the trial from continuing.

Subsequently, a new trial was arranged, initially set to take place at Leicester Crown Court but later transferred to Birmingham Crown Court in March of this year. During this hearing, the prosecution accepted O’Connor’s guilty plea to the charge of committing a sex act with a child, leading to a resolution without a full trial on the more serious charges.

Judge Martin Hurst addressed O’Connor directly, emphasizing that he was not sending him to prison immediately. The judge acknowledged that O’Connor was sober at the time and aware of the wrongfulness of his actions, despite knowing the girl’s age. The judge also expressed hope that O’Connor would make his parents proud, referencing letters received from them.

As part of his sentence, O’Connor was given an 18-month prison term, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to participate in a sex offenders’ rehabilitation program, complete 200 hours of unpaid community work, and register as a sex offender. Additionally, he was required to pay costs amounting to £1,000. Despite the initial charges, O’Connor was found not guilty of rape, sexual assault, and assault by penetration, but the conviction for the lesser charge remains a serious mark on his record.