WIDNES MAN JAILED FOR CHILD ABDUCTION DESPITE WARNING
A 22-year-old Widnes man named Mark Cleminson was sentenced to a year in prison after being convicted of child abduction.Despite receiving an official warning from the police to stay away from a 15-year-old girl, Cleminson continued to see her.
The court heard that Cleminson had been given a Child Abduction Warning Notice earlier in the summer but persisted in having contact with her.
On September 3, they were found together at a friend's house in Widnes, and when her mother came to the address, Cleminson fled before being caught.
Phone messages revealed that Cleminson had repeatedly expressed love for the girl.
Cleminson admitted to child abduction and breaching an eight-month suspended sentence.
The judge, Recorder Richard Pratt, QC, sentenced him to eight months for the abduction, activating half of his suspended sentence to make a total of 12 months.
The judge emphasized that the offence was serious because Cleminson ignored the warning notice and was in breach of his suspended sentence.
He also pointed out that the girl had agreed to meet Cleminson "in her immature way" despite knowing about the warning.
The judge highlighted the inappropriate nature of their relationship, stating "It may be you felt genuine affection but that is misplaced.
You are an adult person and she is a teenage child," and stressed the importance of public safety and the need for custodial punishment.
The court considered that while the offence did not involve force or prolonged detention, Cleminson's breach of warnings and sentences warranted a prison sentence.
