ROSS BARTON FROM LAINDON SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AT BASILDON CROWN COURT

In July 2019, Ross Barton, a 22-year-old resident of Laindon, was sentenced to imprisonment after being found guilty of serious child sex offences. The court proceedings took place at Basildon Crown Court, where Barton appeared in the dock, maintaining a stoic and expressionless demeanor as Judge Samantha Leigh delivered her verdict.

Judge Leigh emphasized the gravity of Barton’s actions and his continued status as a significant threat to public safety. Barton had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of inciting a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity, as well as two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order that had been imposed on him. This order was originally issued on March 16, 2017, and was related to an offence committed in 2014 involving a victim from Yorkshire.

During the hearing, it was revealed that Barton had been verbally abusive towards a custodial officer in June of the same year. The court heard that in June 2018, a monitoring officer confiscated a mobile phone from Barton, which was later examined and found to contain footage of the girl performing a sexual act. The footage was believed to have been recorded at Barton’s behest, and this discovery led to his remand in custody.

Barton admitted to all four charges, which included inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and breaching the sexual harm prevention order. The judge sentenced him to a total of 28 months in prison for the incitement charges, and an additional four months for the breaches, with both sentences to run concurrently. This means Barton will serve at least half of his sentence, approximately 14 months, before becoming eligible for parole.

Addressing Barton directly, Judge Leigh remarked on the delay in examining the confiscated phone, noting that it was known he was prohibited from possessing such a device. She stated, “But we know now what you asked the girl to do, and we know it was filmed.”

Given the severity of the offences and concerns about the potential for reoffending, the judge increased Barton’s period on licence to three years after his release. She expressed serious concerns about his likelihood to commit further offences, emphasizing the high risk he poses to the public. The judge also ordered that the sentences for the breaches and the sexual offences run concurrently, reflecting the gravity of his misconduct and the need for strict supervision upon his release.