ROBERM MORTON OF ELLESMERE PORT JAILED IN LIVERPOOL FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL
In January 2018, Robert Morton, a former officer in the Bebington Sea Cadets from Green Lane, Ellesmere Port, received a two-year prison sentence after being convicted of sexually abusing a minor.Morton, now 37, initially befriended a 15-year-old girl when she was just 14 years old.
The relationship began with texting exchanges, which started as innocent but soon included more inappropriate conversations.
Prosecutor Charles Lander explained that Morton asked her personal questions and eventually encouraged meetings that became progressively more intimate.
The pair initially met in a park for what was described as innocent encounters, but these meetings quickly involved kissing and sexual touching.
Morton admitted to performing sex acts on the girl multiple times over the course of approximately a year before she turned 16, although they did not engage in full sexual intercourse until she reached the legal age.
Once the girl turned 16, their meetings continued at Morton’s residence in Ellesmere Port, where they engaged in sexual activity.
Mr.
Lander noted that the sexual contact ceased when Morton became involved with another girlfriend, around the time the girl was about 17.
Throughout the relationship, Morton told the girl that “no-one can ever know about this,” but she confided in a friend and eventually reported the abuse last year.
Passing sentence, Judge David Aubrey, QC, stated, “The court has no doubt that you were well aware of her age when you began associating with her, and that this developed into a sexual relationship.
The court is also aware that you were fully conscious of safeguarding issues and the boundaries that should have been maintained.
However, you chose to cross those boundaries.” In addition to the two-year jail term, Morton was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years.
