Locations
Brayton Square, Leeds, LS14
Description
A teenage boy was sent a chilling video on Snapchat which showed him being sexually assaulted in a hotel room.
The boy was targeted by sick Liam Gandz, 19, as he slept in August 2020. Gandz, who was just 16 at the time, filmed the horrific attack and sent it on to another person before the video got around to his victim.
Gandz, of Brayton Square in Leeds, appeared at Leeds Crown Court to be sentenced for sexual assault as well as the rape of a child under the age of 13, two counts of sexual assault of a child under the age 13 and three counts of making indecent images of a child.
The latter offences related to an eight-year-old boy Gandz sexually assaulted and raped. That attack was also filmed. Leeds Crown Court heard on Thursday that Gandz said: "FFS he's waking up" as he filmed the sick assault.
Prosecutor Philip Standfast said: "On 14th September 2020, the 16-year-old victim got sent a video of an indecent nature from a contact on Snapchat. He recognised himself and saw the sex offences committed against him. He wasn't aware [it was taking place] because he was asleep at the time. He could see they were filmed by the defendant. He told his mum and she informed the police."
The eight-year-old was interviewed by the police and although he did not initially make a report he was upset.
The court heard Gandz's phone was seized and showed the videos and stills had been recorded. He had sent them on to a person online who was operating under the profile of a female who has not yet been identified. Mr Standfast said: "When he was arrested, his phone was seized and downloaded and recovered were a number of [indecent] images at categories A, B and C."
Gandz made no comment in his interviews but went on to indicate guilty pleas at the Magistrates' court.
In their victim impact statement, the parents of the eight-year-old victim told the court how the offences have had a "profound impact on his life" and have "caused psychological harm." Mr Stansfield said they said the offences have "shattered his sense of safety."
He added: "His parents feel an overwhelming sense of guilt from not being able to protect their child from harm."
Mitigating, Catherine Silverton said three Child in Need reports had been undertaken as well as a doctor's report and a pre-sentence report. She said Gandz is "disgusted in himself" and said: "It's nearly three years since the commission of these offences. He knows he will get an immediate custodial sentence today. He was 16-years-old and four months at the time.
"He indicated he was going to plead guilty at the first opportunity at court."
Ms Silverton said there had been an "unreasonable" delay in the case and Gandz has no relevant convictions.
His Honour Judge Stubbs KC sentenced Gandz to four-and-a-half-years in a Young Offenders' Institution and said it was "worrying" that he had no accepted his wrongdoing.
He said: "The messages you were sending show me very clearly that you knew what you were doing was very wrong...Your attitude to what you did wrong is very worrying and is something that concerns me...the fact you're shaking your head and acting like you don't know what I'm saying is evidence of that...
"Opening up and accepting what you've done wrong is really important. It's alright to come to me crying when you pleaded guilty but when someone comes to you and talks to you about what you did - rape an eight-year-old - you come and shake your head and that's what worries me."
The judge made Gandz the subject of a lifelong sexual harm prevention order and said he would be on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.