Description
A PREDATOR sexually abused an underage girl before storing indecent images of her for his 'perverse pleasure', a court has heard.
William Booth, of Northwich, sexually abused the young girl under the age of 10 over a period of around three years up until 2020.
Chester Crown Court has heard how she told no-one what had happened until she told a therapist in the summer of last year.
Prosecuting, Ember-Jade Wong read a statement by the now teenager about the psychological impact of the sexual abuse and of the trial process.
The statement said: "From the time of the abuse until recently I did not realise what he was doing was abuse."
The statement added: "I had a month off school because I could not cope. I started self-harming to try to cope."
At the time of the arrest, police seized a phone on which there were indecent images of the young girl, including images from a concealed camera of her getting dressed, getting undressed and going to the toilet.
There were also indecent images of another young girl as well as of an adult woman with a dog.
Booth pleaded guilty to voyeurism as well as making and possessing indecent images, but denied charges of sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault by touching.
However it took a jury of 12 men and women no longer than an hour to find him guilty following a trial for all of the other offences this year.
Mitigating, Mark Le Brocq said he has no previous convictions and he is no longer a high risk after stopping the sexual abuse several years ago.
Mr Le Brocq said: "There came a time when he asked 'do you like what I am doing?' and she said no.
"He is able to control himself and he has demonstrated this for around five years after the last one."
On Wednesday, July 9, at Chester Crown Court, the 29-year-old was sentenced to 15 years in prison with a three-year extended licence period.
Recorder Philip Grundy said he is to be subject to a restraining order, a sexual harm prevention order and the sex offenders register for life.
Recorder Grundy said: "I considered your manner in court to have sinister undertones."
He added: "You have a preoccupation with sex and you were seeking thrills."