NICHOLAS COWEN FROM WARWICK JAILED FOR PREGNATING 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN WARWICK FLAT

In April 2015, a man named Nicholas Cowen was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after being found responsible for impregnating a 14-year-old girl. The incident took place in Warwick, where Cowen was residing at the time. The case drew significant attention due to the serious nature of the offense and the evidence presented in court.

According to court records, Cowen, aged 30 and previously living on Greville Road in Warwick, had engaged in sexual activity with the underage girl after a night of drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis at his flat. Despite the clear DNA evidence linking him to the pregnancy, Cowen initially denied any sexual contact with the girl. However, on the day of his trial at Warwick Crown Court, he changed his plea to guilty, acknowledging his involvement.

Prosecutor Sharon Bahia outlined the details of the case, stating, “The defendant is now 30. He had intercourse with the girl when she was 14. He was well aware of her age.” The girl later recounted to police that she had visited Cowen’s flat in late November or December, describing the visit as a casual gathering where they were “having a laugh and smoking weed.” During this visit, they engaged in sexual activity, after which they both fell asleep. She did not leave until the following morning. The girl also revealed that Cowen had warned her not to tell anyone about what had happened, threatening that he would be sent to prison if she did.

Several weeks later, the girl confided in a friend that she was pregnant and that Cowen was the father. This information was relayed to her mother, who then insisted she take a pregnancy test, which confirmed the pregnancy. The girl was subsequently taken to the police station to file a formal complaint. She later underwent an abortion, and DNA testing confirmed Cowen’s paternity. Despite the scientific evidence, Cowen initially denied having sexual relations with the girl and maintained this stance even after the DNA results were presented in court.

It was also noted that Cowen had prior convictions, although none in the last decade or for similar offenses. During the trial, his defense lawyer, Matthew Barnes, argued that Cowen regretted delaying his guilty plea until the day of the hearing. Barnes emphasized that Cowen did not groom the girl or set out to corrupt her, asserting that the act was consensual and did not cause lasting harm. He also provided context about Cowen’s troubled background, mentioning the loss of his mother during childhood and the subsequent death of his father, which had a profound impact on his emotional well-being. Barnes explained that Cowen had managed to find stability with a partner before their relationship ended weeks prior to the incident, which coincided with a period of emotional distress.

In sentencing, Recorder Adrian Redgrave QC emphasized the gravity of the offense, especially considering the girl’s age and the fact that she became pregnant and required an abortion. He stated, “It is very late for you to have come to accept your responsibility for this offence. Nevertheless, I shall give you some credit for your plea of guilty. But you know that this offence is the more serious because of her age, which you knew, and because of the fact that she became pregnant and had to have an abortion.” Cowen was ordered to register as a sex offender for life, reflecting the severity of his crime and the impact on the victim’s life.