Kern Lenehan 23

Description

Kern Lenehan, 23, of Watch Street, Woodhouse, Sheffield, has been jailed for four years and one month after raping a 12-year-old girl on three occasions.

Sheffield Crown Court heard that Lenehan, then 19, met the girl on an adults’ dating site. She claimed to be 19 throughout. Under cross-examination he admitted he did not believe she was 19 and realistically thought she was around 15, but did not challenge her.

Judge Peter Hampton told him: “The reality is there were red warning lights flashing across the board, which you simply ignored. Your suggestion that you genuinely, and reasonably, believed her to be 19 was clearly a nonsense… I’ve seen pictures of her at the time.”

He continued: “You conceded you were in denial about her true age… you conceded in cross-examination that the victim looked 15, not 16… you willingly closed your eyes to the victim’s true age. I’m sure your motivation to do so was for there to be a sexual relationship whatever her age.”

The rapes took place in a tent near the girl’s Doncaster home. Children under 13 cannot legally consent to sexual activity. The offences came to light after her brother checked her Snapchat and messaged Lenehan asking why he was contacting a 12-year-old. Lenehan then ended contact. The girl has lifelong anonymity.

Lenehan admitted two counts of rape of a child under 13 and one count of making indecent images of a child, relating to a video of one of the incidents. He was also given a one-year extended licence, making the total sentence five years and one month, and must remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.

In a statement, the girl’s mother said her daughter “struggles significantly” and added: “I feel she has been robbed of her childhood.”

Defending, Ishaq Usama said Lenehan was, and remains, “emotionally immature.”

Judge Hampton told him: “You knew she was incapable of consenting. You did not care.”

Sentencing took place on 1 and 2 October 2026.