Description
A Derbyshire pervert has lost his home, wife and job after he "used and abused" an underage girl for sex over a two-year period and threatened to kill her if she spoke out. A graphic and detailed account of Michael Scott's abuse was given to the court by prosecutors.
Scott, 48, began abusing the girl after they started speaking on social media. A friend of the victim then noticed naked pictures on her phone exchanged between the two. Videos and pictures of Scott, of no fixed abode, abusing the girl were then also found on his phone.
His actions, committed in the Derby area, were described in court as "debasing and disgusting." Scott has now been jailed for six years, his first time in prison, is barred from having any contact with females under the age of 18 and is on the sex offenders register and subject to a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely.
Henry James, prosecuting, told Derby Crown Court on Tuesday, June 7: "He showered her with gifts out of a depraved and sexual interest. She was confused. She knew it was wrong. Mr Scott systematically used her as a thing that he could maul and foul."
Mr James said that the gifts included a laptop and the victim later detailed to police a "catalogue of foul and depraved" acts committed by Scott. Scans of Scott's mobile phone also showed internet searches of whether iMessages could be used as evidence in court.
In a short victim personal statement, read out by Mr James, the victim said: "At the time of when this happened I felt scared and worried. He said he would kill me. I did not feel safe. I feel like I'm dealing well with what happened."
Scott, who had no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to two counts of having sex with an underage girl on March 23. Pleas of not guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images were accepted by the prosecution and were instead considered an aggravating feature of the offences.
James Varley, defending, said that Scott had been granted time by a different judge to get his affairs in order including putting his narrowboat home into storage and handing his notice in with his employers. Mr Varley said his wife had also left him as a consequence of his offending.
He said: "This is a man who is now 48, who stands to lose his good name. He has worked all his life. He will lose his livelihood as his plant operating licences will lapse and when he is released he will have to start from scratch again.
"He has had to spend the last few weeks explaining to his family what has happened and what the consequences will be. In a more eloquent testament to the man he is, his family have come along to support him. I am not suggesting that they have forgiven him but they have come along to show him some love. He is a man who has a lot of good about him.
"He has acted in the last few weeks with a great deal of integrity and realism. What I submit to the court is genuine remorse."
Sentencing Scott to concurrent six-year sentences on both charges, Judge Shaun Smith QC said: "You showered her with gifts and attention and over a two-year period you proceeded to develop a relationship with her and you abused her in a particularly significant and unimaginable way. To use the words of the prosecutor, you systematically used and abused her.
"You recorded some of what happened and while they no longer form any charges, they aggravate your position. Your phone had images showing you abusing her. What you did must be unimaginable to any normal human being.
"The whole thing was debasing and disgusting and it was at your hands, a 48-year-old adult. Your desires clearly got the better of you because up to then you were of good character. You had a good name which you have now lost, someone with a livelihood which you have now lost, someone with a home which you have now lost."
Scott will serve half of his sentence in custody before being released on licence. He must both sign the sex offender register and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely, and is barred from contact of any sort with females under the age of 18 and from contacting the victim directly or indirectly.