MANIPULATIVE MIDDLESBROUGH PERVERT JAILED AFTER HE RUINED TWO YOUNG GIRLS
A depraved pervert who preyed on two young girls urged one of them to take their own life after she blocked him on social media.Warren Laws persuaded the young victims to send sexual photographs of themselves before threatening to publish them on social media when they learned his true age.
The 26-year-old posed as a teenager while sending disgusting videos of himself during a protracted period of online grooming, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Christine Egerton, prosecuting, said Laws blackmailed one of the children he made threats towards her in an attempt to get her to send more sexual images of herself.
The parents of the two teenage victims outlined the devastating impact that Laws had on their children with one making attempts on her own life.
The mother of the first victim said: “Since he committed these crimes my daughter has really struggled.
She was unable to at night.
She was constantly on edge that he was going to start harassing her or her family again.” The mother of the second victim said: “She has lived through trauma that no child should ever have to experience.
The actions of this man have not only stolen her childhood but pushed her to the darkest place a young mind can go.” Laws, of Kenilworth Avenue, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual communication with a child, blackmail, two charges of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, make indecent images of children, threatening to share photograph of person in intimate state and perverting the course of justice.
The court heard that Laws was very remorseful, and he was sentenced to serve seven years in custody with a further three years on extended licence.
He was also made subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order to monitor his online activities and an indefinite restraining order to protect the victims.
The judge branded him manipulative, especially when telling one victim ‘you can’t even kill yourself properly’.
The case highlights serious offences involving online grooming and blackmail, with a focus on the devastating effects on the victims.
