June 2012

Norwich man jailed for having sex with girl aged 14

A man who groomed a 14 year-old for sex, sending her explicit text messages and getting her to send him nude photos of herself, has been jailed for four and half years and placed on the sex offenders’ register.

David Woods, 50, formerly an undertaker in Attleborough, contacted the teenage girl through emails and text messages and also met up with her for sex, Norwich Crown Court heard

The relationship came to light after her friend’s mother saw the victim with Woods and informed the girl’s family.

Duncan O’Donnell, prosecuting, said police discovered Woods had sent naked pictures of himself to the girl and persuaded her to send him indecent photos of herself.

Mr O’Donnell said he had also secretly saved pictures of her when she posed for him on a web-cam.

Woods was also alleged to have asked the girl and her friend to pose for him in their PE kit.

Mr O’Donnell said there was a number of explicit text messages which Woods had sent and the victim admitted she had sex with Woods.

Police also found about 30 other indecent images of children on Wood’s computer.

The court heard in an impact statement that the victim had been deeply affected by what happened and tried to self-harm.

Woods, of City View Road, Norwich, admitted sexual activity with a child and possession of indecent images.

Sentencing him, Judge Nicholas Coleman accepted Woods had not co-erced the girl but he knew she was vulnerable.

“There was a significant age difference.” He said that Woods had used the girl to “satisfy his lust.”

He added: “Nobody of that age should be subjected to the sexual endeavours of an older man like you in the way that you did.”

He said that what took place had affected the victim’s life and added that he thought Woods had an “unhealthy interest in young girls.”

As well as placing him on the sex offenders’ register, he also banned him from working with children.

Michael Clare, for Woods, said: “He is someone aged 50, who until he succumbed to this has led a comparatively blameless life.”

He added: “He does not seek to justify what happened.”

He said by pleading guilty he had spared the victim the ordeal of coming to court.

“The defendant is open and honest and frank and recognises the harm he has done.”