Benjamin Goodrum 25

Description

A paedophile repeatedly raped a girl after grooming her over WhatsApp.

Benjamin Goodrum, 22, used his vulnerable victim to satisfy his twisted desires then threatened her to stay quiet.

But the "horrendous" abuse of the child came to light when her parents found sick messages from him on her phone.

Ian Harris, prosecuting, said these messages included a request from Goodrum to see a picture of the child's bra.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the victim's mum later confronted Goodrum, who claimed he had twice touched her daughter inappropriately.

Police were contacted and arrested Goodrum, who also told an NHS worker that he had touched the girl "once or twice".

However, when police interviewed the victim, Mr Harris said she revealed Goodrum had groomed her by text for what was "a campaign of sexual abuse".

Goodrum, of Seacombe, text the girl asking her to exchange pictures, but when she said no, replied saying that if she didn't, he would "do stuff" to her.

The girl told police "it was as if he was blackmailing her" and she thought he wanted sex, having once previously touched her inappropriately.

Goodrum asked for naked pictures before sending the child a photo of his penis and a video of him performing a sex act on himself, which made her feel "sick".

She agreed to send him a photo of herself in her bra, but then tried to ignore his messages, only for Goodrum to continue to pester her, until he molested and raped her on multiple occasions.

At one stage Goodrum took the girl's phone and deleted his texts, but police still recovered many of the messages.

Mr Harris said he would arrange to meet her alone and his messages were "demanding in nature and persistent".

He said Goodrum "used her as a sexual toy" and warned that if she told anyone there would be consequences.

Mr Harris said the girl regularly told him to stop, but he continued even when told his abuse hurt, and called her a "slag".

Goodrum remained silent when interviewed by police, but later indicated on a court form that the abuse "didn't happen".

The pervert, who has no previous convictions, admitted three counts of rape, three counts of attempted rape, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, three counts of sexual assault of a child, four counts of assault by penetration and one count of sexual activity with a child.

Mr Harris said a psychiatric report didn't find any evidence of him having an psychiatric illness or medical disorder, but some evidence of ADHD and a social disorder.

The girl's mum said her daughter had since changed and now suffered from flashbacks and nightmares.

Bernice Campbell, defending, said: "General mitigation is difficult because there's very little mitigation one can say in regard to these horrendous offences."

Ms Campbell said: "His parents split up when he was very young. He didn't have anything to do with his father for some time and there was domestic violence from his father towards his mother.

"His father was only intermittently present during his formative years."

Ms Campbell said Goodrum later moved in with his dad, who described him as "immature", which was also raised in the psychiatric report.

She said: "The defendant accepts what happened was very wrong and he is in my respectful submission remorseful."

The lawyer said Goodrum was described as "having no friends" and "an unhappy childhood", his longest relationship was online with a female in America, and he claimed he was only interested in girls of his own age.

Ms Campbell said: "He wishes he never did it and he's disgusted about it."

She said Goodrum felt depressed and suicidal but never told anyone, self-harmed and suffered with stress and anxiety, and between 14 and 16 had an "imaginary friend", which showed his "childlike" immaturity.

The report said Goodrum mentioned possible autism, but this hadn't been diagnosed.

Ms Campbell said he was referred to mental health services in 2005 and his mum said Goodrum soiled himself several times and was bullied at school and college.

She said when released from jail he wanted to move back to his mum's home in Margate, Kent, having now been "disowned" by his dad.

Judge Andrew Menary, QC, said Goodrum's request for indecent images and the photo and video he sent the girl "was very upsetting" for her.

He said Goodrum messaged her "time and time again", trying to persuade her to take part in his sexual abuse.

The judge said: "You used her to satisfy your need for sexual gratification."

Judge Menary said her mum's statement set out the "understandable impact that this outrageous behaviour has had on her".

He said: "It's likely that your corruption of this young girl will profoundly affect her for years to come, if not for the rest of her life."

The judge said the harm was "severe", there was significant planning and grooming, and Goodrum threatened her not to report him.