November 2013

Leek mum spared jail despite underage sex with boys

Perverted Katie Birks has been spared prison despite having sex with two underage boys.

The now 20-year-old had sex with a 13-year-old lad and later gave birth to his baby, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard yesterday.

And despite being warned to stay away from boys Birks went on to have sex with a 15-year-old.

Now she has been handed a suspended prison sentence and placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

Prosecutor Nick Tatlow said Birks formed a relationship with a 13-year-old boy and gave birth to his baby when she was aged 17.

The boy had learning difficulties and in his interview he told police they had intercourse when he was aged 13 and twice when he was 14.

Birks was arrested and confirmed the boy was her baby’s father and she understood he had a learning disability. She said she started seeing him when he was 13 and she had sex with him on two occasions since the birth of the child.

Birks was arrested again after she accessed the boy’s Facebook account.

Mr Tatlow said: “She was again warned she ought not to have contact with young boys.”

But Birks formed a relationship with a 15-year-old boy.

Social services were contacted after a text on a boy’s phone made reference to Birks having sex with his brother.

It read: “If I have sex with your brother, I will have sex with you next time.”

The court heard the boy’s father had left the teenage brothers home alone while he went to stay with a girlfriend in the north west. Police found Birks at the house.

Mr Tatlow said: “The 15-year-old said he was going out with Birks. His father was away and he was being cared for by his brother.

“He said he told her he was 15 and she was unconcerned by that. He said he and the defendant had sex. He told the police the defendant had stayed about four nights.”

Birks, of Queen Street, Leek, pleaded guilty to three charges of sexual activity with a child.

Jason Holt, mitigating, said the sex was consensual and there was not a big age difference.

Judge Paul Glenn sentenced Birks to 18 months detention in a young offenders’ institution, suspended for two years, with supervision, and a specified activity to undertake the sex offenders’ workbook.

She was placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years, barred from activities involving children and vulnerable adults and made the subject of a five year sexual offences prevention order (SOPO).

Judge Glenn said: “You had been told time and again not to have contact with young boys and you totally ignored that.”

Judge Glenn said Birks was vulnerable herself and ‘extremely immature’.

He added: “You are cunning and manipulative. I accept there is still a risk of harm to children but I take the view the risk is manageable.”