Carl Whitehead 58

Description

Court hears he groomed girls with "truth or dare" games

A convicted sex offender has been jailed for nine years after he abused two schoolgirls following a game of truth or dare in his home.

Sentencing 50-year-old Carl Robert Whitehead at Leeds Crown Court Recorder Andrew Haslam said he had initially befriended the girls through their interest in his pet dog and then groomed them.

You developed your association with both of these girls on social media such as Facebook and contacted them over their mobile telephones.

He said Whitehead even paid for a top-up on one girls phone and they began visiting his home.

One text message suggested he had offered them alcohol although he knew they were not old enough to drink, being 13 and 14.

Recorder Haslam said a friend of Whitehead advised him to end the association and even contacted the police and they repeated that advice but he ignored them.

I am satisfied you ignored that advice because you wanted to develop an association with both girls, although you knew they were under 16, for the specific reason of taking sexual advantage of them.

You did that solely for the purpose of satisfying your own sexual desires. I am satisfied you groomed these girls for your own sexual purposes.

He said it did not matter who suggested the game of truth or dare it developed as you wanted it to. There was kissing then he suggested they remove their clothes and finally his touching them sexually.

Recorder Haslam said he believed Whitehead at least tried to go further, because he had subsequently bought them pregnancy testing kits and there was no other reason for that.

He had also put the girls through a trial and accused them of fabricating their accounts which had added to their ordeal. His behaviour had clearly had a psychological impact on them.

Whitehead, of St James Street, Heckmondwike, was found guilty by a jury on four charges of sexual activity with a child.

Kirstie Watson prosecuting told the court had previous convictions for indecent exposure in 1988, 1989 and on April 15, 2011 as well as a conviction for gross indecency with a six year old child in 1990.

Mathew Harding defending Whitehead said he still denied any offence against the girls.

He had already found his experience in prison difficult being subjected to bullying.