MAN SENTENCED FOR OFFENSIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH UNDERAGE GIRL
A man with a comparatively low IQ failed to understand the seriousness of his conduct involving an underage girl, including kissing her and sending flirtatious messages, a court was informed.Police questioned Robert Joseph Lee after the girl’s mother expressed concerns upon reviewing her daughter’s phone.
Lee claimed that the kisses, even on the lips, were not of a sexual nature.
At Durham Crown Court, it was revealed that Lee admitted to sending subsequent messages where he expressed eagerness for "kisses and cuddles" and stated he wished she could fill the empty space in his bed.
He acknowledged these messages might seem inappropriate but insisted there was no sexual intent.
Lee told police it was a "silly little thing" between him and the girl, and he would not have proceeded further, aware of her age.
Initially denying two counts of sexual assault and one of engaging in sexual communication with a child, the 42-year-old changed his pleas to guilty when his trial began last October.
Prosecutor Richard Herrmann explained that by then, the girl had provided a pre-recorded interview, and her mother was ready to give evidence in court.
In a statement read aloud, the girl’s mother expressed feelings of "disappointment, anger, and sickness" at Lee’s exploitative behavior, which had left her daughter "anxious and scared." She also criticized the delay in admitting guilt, which caused her distress.
The court adjourned sentencing for psychiatric and Probation Service reports following Lee’s late guilty plea.
During mitigation, lawyer Chris Knox pointed out that the reports indicated Lee operated at a very low mental level.
He explained Lee’s lack of understanding about the gravity of his actions and his failure to realize their seriousness.
Knox noted that Lee only grasped the situation during the trial and highlighted that the defendant had no prior convictions, held a good employment record, and appeared friendly.
He asked the judge to consider a suspended sentence, suggesting Lee was a candidate for probation.
Judge Adkin responded, calling the case "dreadful." While Knox acknowledged the severity, he questioned Lee’s true motives, with the judge replying, "That’s only because the mother discovered the text messages." Ultimately, Lee received a 19-month prison sentence.
The judge stated the messages indicated grooming with a view to a sexual relationship, describing the conduct as "sinister and very worrying." He also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, mandated registration as a sex offender for ten years, and issued a restraining order, all effective for a decade.
