Jade Berry 28

Description

Jade Berry, 27, was staggering through Rivacre Valley Country Park in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, at 9pm when she accosted the child as he sat on a woodland bench talking with a friend about his forthcoming 14th birthday.

Berry sat between the two boys and began stroking the 13-year-old's genitals over his clothing before offering him sex and saying she would 'ride you till morning'

As the shocked youngster and his friend got up to leave, she pulled down her trousers and exposed herself before passing out in a drunken stupor.

The two boys took videos of Berry before getting up to leave. She was identified after leaving her bank card and phone on the bench.

When interviewed by police, Berry exclaimed: 'Oh My God, I do not recall anything' - but was later picked out by the boy at an identity parade.

The 13-year-old, who has ADHD, said he was so traumatised by the encounter that he tried to take his own life.

At Chester Crown Court, Berry - who lives in the village of Little Sutton near Ellesmere Port - pleaded guilty to sexual assault and was sentenced to 12 months in jail suspended for 18 months. 

Berry was also ordered to wear an electronic 'sobriety' tag for 120 days as part of an alcohol abstinence monitoring programme and will have to complete 35 rehabilitation activity days. 

She was told to sign on the Sex Offenders' Register for ten years.

Berry had told the court she had mental health issues. 

The incident occurred on October 3 last year after Berry was making her way through the 300-acre nature reserve after a drinking session with friends. 

James Coutts, prosecuting, said: 'The victim was seated on a bench in woodland when the defendant approached him. 

'She was unknown to him and was clearly intoxicated. She sat between the two boys and began to touch and rub his genitals and the upper area of his thigh over his clothing whilst making highly inappropriate and sexualised comments. 

'She said she was going to "ride him till morning".

'They had in fact been talking previously about his upcoming 14th birthday - and it was quite clear to them she knew how old he was.

'The boys almost immediately left, leaving her on the bench. She removed her clothing and exposed her genitals and buttocks before passing out. They did take a video of the scene.

'The victim went home and told his mother who contacted the police. The officers attended the scene and found her bank card and her phone.

'By the time the officers arrived she had left the area. But she was arrested on October 5. Her response to being arrested was, "Oh My God, I do not recall anything".

'She was asked questions in an interview. She answered "No comment" to all questions. An identity parade was arranged in which the victim was involved. He successfully identified the defendant as the one involved in the incident.'

Mr Coutts described the impact of the incident on the teenage victim.  

'The victim described feeling low after the assault and described an occasion where he tried to take his own life. He had night terrors about the incident afterwards and nightmares. 

'He described taking medication and does not feel able to return to the park. He does not leave the house much. He is feeling scared, anxious, and generally feeling unsafe.

'He has received counselling from two separate sources to aid his recovery but he has lost the confidence that he had. Clearly there are aggravating factors to this offence. 

'There was the presence of alcohol and the inebriation of the defendant and the victim was particularly vulnerable due to his age and difficulties.'

Berry had one previous conviction for drink driving from 2021.

Her counsel John Wyn Williams said: 'She has sadly suffered from mental health problems since the age of 15 or 16 and Covid was a particularly difficult time for her. 

'She has a self-destructive nature and because of this nature she has turned to alcohol to deal with his issues but she now realises that is not the answer to her problems.

'The separation of her parents is another factor that has caused her mental anguish. Her memory of this unfortunate incident is fairly scant but she did not want that young boy to have to give evidence in a trial. 

'Her psychiatrist identifies anxiety disorder, panic attacks [and] borderline personality disorder, as mental health issues - and because of those problems she has been drinking too much.

'It seems that her alcohol intoxication may have led her into doing and committing this offence. There is genuine heartfelt remorse and she shows the victim empathy.

Sentencing, judge Eric Lamb said: 'As it was a chance meeting, you were not aware of the vulnerability of your victim but the consequence of what you did have been awful for the complainant and his family. 

'He has tried to take his own life, suffered night terrors, and required counselling in an effort to overcome the impact of that which you have done.

'You have no recollection of what you did as a result of the amount of alcohol that you had taken but the commission of an offence, when drinking, is an aggravating feature.

'The reasons for your taking alcohol are many and complex and although I must have regard to whether or not you present a risk of serious harm to members of the public by the commission of further specific offences, in your case the conclusion is that such a risk is low. I accept that there is genuine and heartfelt remorse.

'On the one hand, this is a sexual assault on a young person by someone who is 27 years of age and it is plainly a serious matter. 

'But on the other side there is strong personal mitigation as a result of genuine remorse, and the series of events that have led you to your mental health difficulties. You now realise that you must alter your ways.'