Man had sex with special needs girl

MAN HAD SEX WITH SPECIAL NEEDS GIRL

A 21-year-old man was given probation when he admitted having sex with a special needs woman after she gave birth.

He hid the still-born baby in a shoebox in his work locker.

Mark Wigley, of Nowell Road, Rose Hill, Oxford, admitted a serious sexual offence and was given three years probation by Judge Tom Corrie on Tuesday at Oxford Crown Court.

John Small, prosecuting, said the 18-year-old woman, who cannot be named, had special needs.

He said on April 30 last year the woman's father found her in the toilet complaining of stomach pain.

She was given painkillers and the next morning the woman's sister said she was bleeding heavily and was taken to hospital.

Mr Small said hospital staff discovered the woman had recently given birth and that Wigley had taken the baby away in a shoebox.

Police were called and originally treated the incident as murder until a post-mortem examination confirmed the baby was still-born.

DNA tests showed almost conclusively Wigley was the father.

Mr Small said Wigley told officers in an interview he did not remember having sex with the woman and had been drinking heavily.

Mr Small said there was no evidence of force or undue pressure on the woman to have sex.

Nikki Duncan, defending, said Wigley did not try to excuse his behaviour.

She said he had a low to average IQ and was quite naive.

Judge Tom Corrie told Wigley he could have been sent to prison.

Instead, he imposed a three-year probation order on condition that Wigley lived at a probation hostel for six months and underwent rehabilitation treatment.