Description
A chef has been jailed for 15 months after abducting a 15-year-old girl and fleeing to the Isle of Wight with her.
Michael Britten sparked a huge police manhunt when he ran off with the teen in August last year.
The 33-year-old admitted to a judge that he ran off with the girl, which the court heard was 'sexually motivated'.
The girl's mother pleaded for her to come home during the manhunt, before police found them on the island.
A court today heard Britten, of Southampton, was seen on CCTV buying the teenager a ring from Cash Recycle in Newport, Isle of Wight.
The pair later spent the night at a hotel in nearby Shanklin, and were captured on a CCTV camera kissing.
The chef's semen was also found on her underwear, however prosecutors could not be sure how it got there.
In court today they accepted his defence that sexual activity between them amounted to no more than kissing.
Judge Nicholas Rowland described his actions as 'sexually motivated' and today jailed Britten for 15 months after he admitted abducting a child.
Britten was also handed a 12-month sentence after admitting a charge of sexual activity with a child, namely kissing, and 12 months for admitting possessing indecent images of the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
These sentences will run concurrently.
Southampton Crown Court also heard the girl moved out of her family home to live with a friend of her mother before the pair ran away.
Britten, who worked as a chef in Yates's pub in Southampton, was also lodging at the house.
Christopher Stopa, prosecuting, said: "Britten pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child on the basis the activity was not to do with the semen but related to the kissing on the bus.
"In July 2014, she chose to move out of her family home and stay with her mother's friend.
"On Friday, August 8, the pair travelled to the Isle of Wight and on Friday night they stayed with a friend of the defendant's brother.
"They then went to spend the following night at a hotel in Shanklin, Isle of Wight.
"He was arrested by police on the Sunday and she was taken back into care.
"CCTV footage shows Britten with his arm around her and her with her head on his shoulder.
"Other CCTV footage from Cash Recycle on August 8, 2014, shows Mr Britten buying a ring for her and she can be seen putting it on her finger."
Peter Asteris, defending, said: "Mr Britten is now 33 years old and is someone with difficulties in learning.
"He found himself going down a road and started to panic when the situation became serious.
"He will never go down that road again."
Judge Nicholas Rowland said: "You have pleaded guilty to three counts.
"You kissed the girl as shown on the CCTV from the bus and you accept you shared a bed, which indicates there was a sexual motivation for the child abduction.
"You were 33 and she was 15 - she was troubled and remains a troubled child.
"You went away for three days and went to a hotel and shared a bed, which shows this child abduction was sexually motivated."
Judge Rowland also ordered Britten to sign a sexual harm prevention order for the next 10 years which prevents him being alone with a child under 16.