Adam Weeks 26

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A DEVASTATED mother told how her family’s life had been “completely wrecked” by a Christchurch paedophile who was jailed for eight years for sexually abusing her toddler son.

Giving a victim impact statement at Bournemouth Crown Court, the woman broke down while describing the toll taken by the “vile and disgusting behaviour" of Adam Weeks (25), of Moorcroft Avenue.

She said: “This is the most painful experience I have had as a mother. I feel I have failed my son.

“He was a predator preying on us to get to our son. The betrayal has devastated both me and my partner."

The mum, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she had felt suicidal at times, adding: “I will never be the same person, Adam has stolen that from me.”

She went on: "His actions have completely wrecked us as a family and words will never really convey the impact of his actions.

"I cannot understand why he did this to us.

"Now I think he is a predator.

"I am terrified of what could have happened in time, what Adam may have gone on to do."

She added: "Although it has wrecked our life, my son is safe."

Weeks was serving a suspended sentence for possessing over 1,000 indecent images of children when he committed the abuse in June last year at an address in Bournemouth.

He was also subject to a sexual harm prevention order imposed a month earlier which banned him from having contact with a child or having photos of any children.

But prosecutor Charles Gabb KC said the defendant had lied to the parents of the toddler – known as Child A in court – telling them all the charges against him had been dropped.

During a meeting in July, however, a probation officer found indecent images of children on Weeks' phone, including a video of him abusing Child A.

He was arrested, and a search of his iPhone and iPad revealed more indecent images and videos.

Also found were videos of a nine-year-old American child whom Weeks had “groomed” online, manipulating him with payment into sending sexual videos.

Weeks later claimed to police that the boy – referred to as Child B – had been "blackmailing" him, something Mr Gabb called: “Utterly ludicrous.”

Weeks had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to two charges of sexual assault of a child under 13, four offences of taking indecent images of a child, six charges of making indecent photographs of a child, and two counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

Defending Weeks, Guy Ladenburg said his client had been raped at the age of 10 in a school toilet, and later in life had been repeatedly abused by a boyfriend.

But Mr Ladenburg admitted Weeks had a “very entrenched pattern of behaviour” and “cannot help himself or resist the temptation of touching" a child.

He said he also struggled to “accept the culpability” of what he had done.

Sentencing, Judge Robert Pawson told Weeks: “Whether you accept it or not you are a paedophile.”

He said that due to the “seriousness” of the offences he was jailing him for eight years, followed by an extended licence period of a further four years.

Weeks was also given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

Speaking after the case DC Steve Cartwright, of Dorset Police’s paedophile online investigation team, said: “Adam Weeks was a convicted sex offender who continued to subject young children to despicable sexual abuse for his own gratification.

“Through our investigation we were able to expose his offending and ensure he was held to account for his actions.

“Offending of this nature often has a devastating and lifelong impact on the child victims involved and we remain committed to identifying those involved in these horrific crimes and bringing them before the courts.”