Oliver Garrity 27

Description

A man who was told to stay away from a teenage girl by police has been jailed after ignoring their warning.

Oliver Garrity, 22, admitted having sexual activity with a child on the first day of his trial at Hull Crown Court.

The victim, described as vulnerable, was not yet 16 and at risk of neglect and sexual exploitation at the time the offences took place.

She described Garrity, of Round Street, Bradford, as "toxic" and said he would message her calling her a "s***", "fat" and a "wh***."

Prosecuting, Kitty Colley said: She was identified as a vulnerable child by social services and the police. She was reported by social workers to have low self-esteem and at risk of being exploited and they were involved providing support.

She had low body confidence and had self-harmed and she had searched for affection online, and had gone missing before."

It is unclear whether Garrity knew the victims age before being arrested by police, but despite officers telling him she was underage and warning him to stay away, he continued to have sex with her.

After his arrest, Garrity then sent the girl abusive text messages.

In a victim impact statement read out to the court, the girl said she realised there had been a "decline of her own self-worth".

She said: "I was desperate for approval and love and I thought I knew what that was but I can clearly see now I had no idea. I'm in a much better place now."

Mitigating, Mr Ward said the defendant had realised he had made a "reckless mistake".

He said: "The pre-sentence report establishes there are no paedophilia interests, or interests in children and he has had other relationships with girls his own age.

"He knows this was a reckless mistake and something that he knows he brought on himself but that doesn't exclude the enormous impact it has had on him."

Sentencing Garrity to 21 months in jail, Judge Mark Bury told Garrity: She was a particularly vulnerable young girl and was identified as a vulnerable child at high risk of sexual exploitation with no self-esteem and a history of self-harm and had searched before coming across you anyone for affection.

In her eyes, she was desperate for affection at the time and she was used for sexual gratification by you, which has affected her already low self-esteem.

"Your personal attitude isn't one that suggests remorse and on your part, you are still in denial and it is still more about the outcome for you than her.

"I have been urged to suspend your sentence but have come to the decision that this society has a duty to protect vulnerable young girls from themselves sometimes and that is the position here."

Garrity must sign the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.