Locations
Lord Street, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD17 & The Thrums, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD24
Description
Three men who lured a 17-year-old into prostitution have been jailed for a combined total of 13 years.
Alistair Spagnoletti, Curtis Walker and Callum Ward were arrested in November 2014 after police attended a house in Rickmansworth and found a missing girl.
Describing it as the worst case of child exploitation ever seen, officers found the girl in a vulnerable state and said the house was littered with sexual paraphernalia including used condoms.
Harrow Crown Court this week heard the investigation uncovered evidence showing the men had been subjecting the victim to significant child sexual exploitation in various locations in Hertfordshire and London.
In March 2016, whilst on bail in relation to this case, Spagnoletti was stopped in a vehicle in Watford with a 15-year-old.
He was issued with a child abduction warning notice that stated if he had anything further to do with this teenager he could be arrested for child abduction.
On two occasions in the weeks following this notice being issued the girl was seen leaving Spagnolettis home address and he was arrested for child abduction.
Alistair Spagnoletti, who is 21 years old and from Williton Road in Luton, was today given six years and eight months in prison for controlling the child sexual exploitation of the first victim and abducting the second.
Curtis Walker, who is 23 years old and from Lord Street, Watford, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for controlling the child sexual exploitation of the first victim.
Callum Ward, who is 19 years old and from The Thrums, Watford, was sentenced to two years in prison for controlling the child sexual exploitation of the first victim.
Detective Sergeant Iain MacPherson from HALO said: This is one of the most damaging cases of child sexual exploitation we have encountered in Hertfordshire.
It has also been an extremely complex case. These men had groomed their 17-year-old victim into having sex with men for money which they took, she believed that by providing her with food, drink, drugs, they were looking after her and they were people she could trust.
"The power they wielded over her was so great that she felt she could not support police action against them.
"Sadly may never recover from what they have done to her.
Spagnoletti was also charged with the offence of abduction and I am in no doubt that he would have gone on to sexually exploit this victim had officers not intervened.
These acts are deplorable and I am in no doubt these men pose a risk to other children. It is right they are now serving time in prison.
He added: One of the elements of Child Sexual Exploitation sees the person being groomed to the point where they genuinely believe they are not a victim and therefore can become extremely difficult to bring offenders to justice.
"However, I hope this sends a clear message to those involved in these disgusting crimes that in Hertfordshire we will do everything in our power to protect young people and to bring offenders to justice. We do not need a complaint from a victim in order to prosecute.