January 2009

Mum groomed sex show girl… but goes free

A MUM-of-four who groomed a 13-year-old girl to perform live sex shows on the internet has escaped a jail term.

Former ballet dancer Zanythe Harrison, 28, got just three years’ probation for directing the vile webcam displays for paedophiles across the globe.

Twisted Harrison gave the schoolgirl access to a computer, positioned the camera, provided her costumes and offered her tips on how to look seductive as she performed sex acts.

When Harrison herself told cops what was going on, she claimed a mystery man was behind the plot – and was shocked when she was charged, Greenock Sheriff Court heard.

But Sheriff Vincent Canavan said that her part in informing police was one reason he would not send her to prison.

He said: “I have decided at this time not to jail the accused because of her previous good character, her genuine regret and disgust and her role in telling the police and enabling these matters to be brought to light and her assistance to the police.”

But as he ordered her to go on the sex offenders’ register, he warned her if she stepped out of line again, it was “inevitable a substantial jail sentence will follow as night follows day”.

The webcam shows took place in a house in Rothesay, on the holiday island of Bute, between October and November 2006.

Harrison, of Greenock, admitted she told her victim about an adult website and encouraged her to perform. But her lawyer Tony Lenaghan insisted a man from England dubbed Mr X was the main culprit.

He said: “He is the driving force behind the escalation of matters.

“At the start she simply thinks she has found a friend in this chap.”

He described Mr X as a “charming” and manipulative man who had gained the confidence of the accused, the victim’s mother and the victim.

It is understood Mr X lured the victim into taking part by promising her gifts of Playboy merchandise.

The court heard Harrison made no cash and gained no sexual gratification from the web shows.

When Harrison expressed concern that the set-up was getting out of hand, she was allegedly subjected to terrifying threats. The court heard Harrison had tried to warn the victim’s mum about Mr X – but she refused to believe the claims.

Harrison admitted facilitating the vile crime but charges specifying the girl’s sex acts were dropped.

The victim’s mother, who moved to Scotland with her family to escape crime in their English home town, broke down in tears and refused to comment after sentencing.

November 2008

Ballet dancer grooms girl, 14, for sex acts on webcam

A BALLET dancer has admitted grooming a 14-year-old schoolgirl to perform webcam sex shows for paedophiles all over the world

Zanythe Harrison, 28 – a mother of four – directed the sick shows in a flat on a holiday island.

And the victim’s mother, who brought her family to Scotland to escape crime in their former home town, fears Harrison used her dancing background to weasel her way into her daughter’s life.

The girl was plied with drink and made to perform sexually explicit shows by dancer Harrison while paedophiles watched on their webcams.

Harrison has been put on the sex offenders’ register while she awaits sentencing next month.

But she has been allowed to keep her two primary schoolgirl daughters and baby boy as well as her partner’s son from a previous relationship.

When Harrison admitted the charge last week, charges specifying the sex acts the girl was made to perform were dropped.

The victim’s mother said last night: “We moved because I feared for my family because all these serious crimes were rife in our neighbourhood in England.

“We came to Scotland for peace and security. And we thought we had found a safe haven.

“I can’t believe how wrong we were or how any woman, especially someone with young daughters herself, could exploit an innocent young girl in this way.

“This came to light two years ago and it has taken all that time for the case finally to reach a stage where she has admitted her guilt.

“These two years have been a nightmare formy daughter. She is a bright girl.

She wants to be a forensic scientist but her schooling has suffered terribly.”

Harrison claims she was coerced into directing the sick sex shows in a flat in Rothesay, Isle of Bute, by an unnamed paedophile from Essex.

But the girl’s mum rejected that, saying: “I know that Harrison is trying to put the blame on this man saying she was under his influence.

“But she knew exactly what she was doing. I cannot put into words what I feel about this woman. I am quite a sociable person, as are my girls, and I became friendly with a woman who introduced me to Zanythe Harrison, who weasled herway into my 14-year-old’s trust.

“To be honest, I don’t know how this all started but I have been in Harrison’s flat myself and she had pictures of herself on the wall performing ballet.

“I don’t know if she used that as a way of getting to my daughter.

“When my 14-year-old was interviewed by CID over a three-day period, she asked that I was not to be present because she was so embarrassed about everything.

“The only thing she has told me is that she was plied with alcohol. But she still cannot speak about anything else. It is still so raw for her.

“It is only in the past week, for instance, that we have gone back on the internet.

“There are so many ways that what this woman has done still continues to affect our lives.”

On the Friends Reunited website, Harrison, originally from Leicester, says she attended the Urdang Academy in London – which teaches ballet – between 1996 and 1998.

She also claims to have served in the Army between 1999 and 2002.

Harrison says on her most recent entry on the Facebook social networking site: “Currently living in bonnie Scotland….not that there’s owt bonnie about it lol!!!.

“I live with my partner Tony and my two daughters and my stepson.

“I’ve been up here now for three years and it’s driving me mad, full of blinkin scots lol….moving to Northern Ireland in the very near future…also five months pregnant with my 3rd….” She gave birth to a baby boy in May.

Her victim’s mother said: “I find it incredible someone capable of doing what she did is allowed to bring up kids.”

At Greenock Sheriff Court last week, Harrison admitted contravening the Protection of Children and Sexual Offences, Scotland Act 2005.