Description
A young woman has told of the devastating effect on her life of being sexually abused by a predator as a vulnerable 14-year-old.
James Betts, 23, targeted the victim and had sex with her when he was 18 and she was just 14. He also filmed part of the ordeal and showed it boastfully to his friends.
Betts, formerly of Bude but whose address was recently given as Pool, had been on trial this week and was eventually convicted by a majority jury of two counts of penetrative sex with a girl under 16, taking an indecent photo of a child and showing an indecent photo of a child.
Betts returned to Truro Crown Court on Friday (October 22) when a victim impact statement was read to the court.
The victim in the case described how she suffers extreme anxiety and has in the past self-harmed and tried to take her own life.
She said: The trauma never ends. Hes lived his life as I plod through each day as a young girl who cant live my best life.
Representing Betts, Piers Norsworthy said: He is a different man to the one who committed these offences. He hit rock bottom, was homeless and taking illegal drugs. Since then he has built himself back up and combatted his addiction and gained employment.
Mr Norsworthy added that the sex act video was never found and was not widely distributed.
Sentencing Betts, Judge Simon Carr said: The victim was just 14 when you met her and the offences occurred. She was obviously vulnerable and in the care system. She had to find new friends and was introduced to you and others.
She was keen to be accepted and you knew she was 14 because she told you. Yet you pursued her knowing you were four years older and sex was illegal.
You bought her gifts and tobacco and took her to the cinema. Texts show you flirting with her.
Knowing her age and vulnerability you pursued her for sexual purposes and had full intercourse with her. You also had her perform oral sex and filmed the act on your phone.
You did it to relive the moment and boast and showed the footage to people known to her.
Judge Carr also noted how indecent images of children were found on Betts phone.
He was jailed for four and a half years and must sign the sex offenders register for life.