Description
A scheming sexual predator targeted a schoolgirl by promising her "the world", including them having "matching cars" and living in a big posh house together.
Ryan Smith called her "hot", "fit" and "perfect" and he spoke of the "amazing things" that they would do together – including "incredible date nights" – but the promises turned into a nightmare for her, Hull Crown Court heard. Smith, 30, formerly of Hull, admitted meeting a child following sexual grooming, sexual activity with a child, sexual communication with a child and making indecent images of a child.
Michele Stuart-Lofthouse, prosecuting, said that an investigation began after it was discovered that a girl had been kissing Smith and had gone to meet him. Sexual messages had been exchanged between them. The girl said that they had kissed and cuddled and that they sent pictures to each other.
Smith made no comment to all police questions during interview, but a large number of messages were found that had been exchanged between him and the girl. There were intimate and sexual "grooming" conversations between them.
He encouraged the girl to send explicit pictures of herself to him. He sent her a picture with "I love you" written on an intimate part of his body.
The girl said he had promised her "the world" and he claimed that he was planning "amazing things" that they would do together. However, she added: "I wasn't allowed to tell anyone . . . he didn't want anyone to know."
Her school work had been "made pure hell" because of the problems caused. "My life became unbearable," she said.
David Godfrey, mitigating, said that the majority of the contact between Smith and the girl was "by electronic means", but he had now moved to Wales. He had no previous convictions.
"It has been a difficult and shameful thing for him to acknowledge," said Mr Godfrey. "He is the author of his own misfortune."
Smith was now working full-time. "He has not put this young person through the ordeal of a trial. He had that moment of clarity because of that shame," Mr Godfrey added.
"He has made efforts to move on. There were some very unpleasant images that were shared.
"There was talk of kissing and such like and that was the sexual activity that was undertaken by the victim and the defendant. There was talk of having cars and having a house, but not imminent penetrative sexual activity."
Judge John Thackray KC told Smith: "You groomed your young victim. She was no doubt impressionable and no doubt flattered by the messages and communications that you gave her.
"You are 100 per cent to blame for this offending. Your victim was a young girl who bears no responsibility whatsoever for what took place.
"It's clear that your offending has had a profound effect upon this young girl and will continue to do so for many years. She may never fully recover from your offending and may always have trust issues."
Smith was jailed for two-and-a-half years. He was given a five-year sexual harm prevention order and an indefinite restraining order. He will have to register as a sex offender for life.