Merseyside 2021-05-30

Michael Collins 38

Obsessed man who was in a sexual relationship with a schoolgirl threatened to throw acid in her face and stab her.

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Offender ID: O-0938

Locations

No fixed address.

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An obsessed man who was in a sexual relationship with a schoolgirl threatened to throw acid in her face and stab her.

Michael Collins, 35, had only recently been released from prison when he started talking to the 15-year-old via Facebook last summer while she was trying to track down her biological mum.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today how Collins, of no fixed address, threatened to throw acid in the girl's face and threatened to stab her outside her school after becoming possessive over her.

A judge told 35-year-old Collins, that it was accepted by the prosecution that it was a loving and caring relationship in which you showed genuine affection for her.

The threats he made to the girl, who is from Newton-le-Willows, were hollow but his victim took them seriously, said Judge Neil Flewitt, QC.

Nicola Daley, prosecuting, said the couple began communicating a month after he was released from Hindley prison in August last year after being recalled to finish a previous sentence.

Their contact via FaceTime and their meetings, which included having sex while the girl was in her school uniform, came to light in November after she confided in a teaching mentor that she had slept with a much older man who was now behaving in an aggressive way.

The police were called and when interviewed she said they had argued earlier that day during the course of it he threatened to throw acid in her face.

Although she was concerned about threats he had made she remained in contact with him as they both wanted the relationship to continue.

She said things became difficult when he was off his head on drugs.

The girl told school staff they would drink vodka and take cocaine together and said she performed a sex act on him.

After daily contact by FaceTime, the girl said they first met at Hunts Cross station where a group of lads said she should not be with him because of her age but she claimed he was her uncle.

They had sex and the dad-of-three did not take any precautions saying he wanted her to have his baby.

Miss Daley said: That was a mutual wish.

He made threats about throwing acid and stabbing her after becoming jealous about other boys or after they had been drinking, smoking cannabis and taking cocaine.

After their relationship came to light the girl left the area, but on December 31 Collins turned up in a stolen car to see her at her new address.

When he realised a police helicopter was overhead he got out and said he would be back in a couple of minutes but did not return.

He was arrested the next day at his grandads home in Kirkby.

Miss Daley said: She is extremely torn and drawn to the defendant and in many ways wishes for the relationship to be allowed to continue.

It appears he had genuine affection for her.

Stuart Mills, defending, said that the girl had not been scared of Collins, who had maintained a loving relationship with her. It was a loving caring relationship in which both sides were happy to engage.

He has done wrong because of the age difference and he will be punished for that.

Their contact initially began after he was released from prison and was feeling lonely and isolated, said Mr Mills. He intends to move away from Merseyside when freed and make a fresh start elsewhere.

Collins had pleaded guilty to six offences involving sexual activity with a child, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

He was jailed for five years and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

The judge also imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

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