September 2012

Paedophile gets two years in prison after judge ‘shows mercy’

A SENIOR judge took pity on a paedophile who slept with three girls.

Daniel Read, 21, admitted having sex with three “vulnerable” friends, two of whom were aged 13 and the other 15.

Prosecutor James Byatt told Hull Crown Court Read had sex with the girls at different periods, between August last year and June this year.

Steven Garth, mitigating, said his client had shown genuine, deep remorse.

He said: “The defendant knew the girls were underage. He knows he should not have acted as he did.

“He has shown great remorse and regret.”

The girls had consented to sexual intercourse at Read’s home in Edinburgh Street, Goole, said Mr Byatt.

However, the Honorary Recorder of Hull and the East Riding, Judge Michael Mettyear, made clear under-16s needed “protecting from themselves”.

The court was told Read’s parents had died within days of each other and his fiancée had left him for his brother.

When questioned by officers, Read initially denied three counts of sexual intercourse with a child under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

However, he later confessed to all the charges.

Mr Garth said Read had not “preyed” on the girls.

He said his client, who had spent 45 days on remand at Hull Prison, was a “shadow of his former self”.

“He is subdued, empty and extremely remorseful,” he said.

“He has already suffered a great deal of punishment.”

Sentencing, Judge Mettyear said the offences were committed against vulnerable children.

He said: “You have to be sentenced on these three counts of sexual intercourse with a child.

“They were vulnerable not only because of their age, but because each of them had problems of their own.

“All had social services involvement, with two of them being in foster care.”

Judge Mettyear said he noted Read’s immaturity.

He told him: “You are not only young chronologically, you are also immature for your age. But this does not excuse what you did.”

Under sentencing guidelines Judge Mettyear told Read there was “room for mercy” when sentencing and judges had a duty to take circumstances into account.

The judge told him: “For offences like these, the sentencing range that is suggested is from three years to seven years’ imprisonment.

“You have been through a torrid time in your own life. These events had a profound effect on you.

“I can take your personal circumstances into account.”

Judge Mettyear told Read he must serve two years in prison.

Read was also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for ten years.