A “disgusting” pervert who plied a teenage girl with drugs and alcohol before persuading her to do a striptease for him has had his prison term cut.
Michael Cross, 48, lured the 15-year-old to his home in Bure Close, St Ives, where he gave her cocaine, cannabis and beer before getting her to undress and engage in sexual activity.
Cross was jailed for eight years in February, but the sentence was cut to six years by judges at the Criminal Appeal Court in London who ruled that the original term was too long.
Mr Justice Nicol said the sentence had been excessive given that that no force was used against the victim when she declined to have sex with him.
He said: “However disgusting the appellant’s behaviour, it is necessary to keep it in perspective.”
Cross admitted sexual activity with a child and supplying cannabis. He was found guilty of a further count of sexual activity with a child, two offences of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and supplying cocaine.
The court heard that the victim was a “vulnerable” 15-year-old and that he offered her cocaine, cannabis and beer and that she accepted all three before he persuaded her to do a striptease for him.
Cross then sexually assaulted and engaged in sex acts with the girl, but stopped short of having full sex with her when she said no.
The victim was badly affected by what happened and told her mother before going to the police.
Cross said he had been drinking since 11am on the day of the incident and had 15 pints of lager and several shots of spirits.
He had been jailed for 20 months in 2008 for supplying cocaine and cannabis.
Cross was said to have turned to drugs following the death of a friend.
His lawyers argued that the eight year term was too long because it went beyond the recommended guidelines for such offences.
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