December 2015
Child sex offender admits new offences
MORE victims have emerged of a man convicted earlier this year for grooming of an underage girl for sexual purposes.
Jonathan Race will be sentenced next month for attempting to meet girls aged 13 and 14 for the commission of child sex offences.
It follows his previous conviction, which resulted in him receiving a 16-month sentence in a young offenders’ institution, at Durham Crown Court, in April.
The, then 20-year-old, of Sandringham Road, Crook, admitted 12 charges, including five counts of meeting a girl following sexual grooming and three of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.
He was said to have ignored a warning “harbouring notice”, issued in mid-July last year, in which he agreed to stop contacting the girl, and was soon regularly meeting her again in woods.
The court heard that although he claimed their physical relationship went no further than “kissing and cuddling”, their messages to each other contained more sexually explicit chat.
They were planning to go to Blackpool, to stay in a hotel, while they also even spoke of moving into a house together, getting married and having children.
The court heard that the girl agreed they met almost daily in the two to three weeks after the issuing of the warning notice.
Race was arrested and admitted meeting the girl on numerous occasions after the notice was issued, saying he was in love with her, claiming he instigated the contact.
Defence counsel David Lamb told the court the messages were, “in the realms of fantasy”, “man in the moon stuff”, and despite talking of running away together, they never left the area, and no sexual activity took place beyond kissing and cuddling.
Imposing the custodial sentence, Judge Christopher Prince told Race: “You were inciting her to engage in sexual activity with the intention she would do so and where there was a meaningful possibility it would occur.”
Race was also made subject of registration as a sex offender, for ten years.
Following more complaints of his activities he was charged with four new counts of attempting to arrange commission of a child sex offence, which he denied at a hearing in October, and a trial was scheduled to take place this week.
But he has now changed his pleas to guilty relating to two of the four new allegations.
Paul Cleasby, prosecuting, said, following review of the case, including communication with the parents of the girls involved, those pleas were considered acceptable to the Crown.
Tony Hawks, for Race, asked for a probation background report to be updated prior to him being sentenced.
Judge Simon Hickey agreed and told Race “all sentencing options” remain open to the court.
Although the custodial element of the previous sentence has now ended, Race, now aged 21, will remain in custody until he is sentenced for the two new offences, on January 18.
April 2015
Teen behind bars for grooming underage girl, contravening warning notice he signed
A NINETEEN-year-old youth flouted a warning forbidding contact with an underage girl, a court heard.
Within days of the so-called ‘harbouring notice’ being issued, in which he agreed not to contact her, Jonathan Race was regularly meeting teenage girl in woods.
Although Race claimed their physical relationship went no further than “kissing and cuddling”, examination of their messages to each other revealed more sexually explicit chat.
Durham Crown Court heard they discussed running away together, going to Blackpool to stay in a hotel, while the pair also spoke of moving into a house together, getting married and having children.
Race, now 20, of Laburnum Avenue, Crook, admitted a total of 12 charges, including five counts of meeting a girl following sexual grooming and three of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.
Deborah Smithies, prosecuting, said the pair met through a mutual third party, and their relationship appeared to “blossom”, to the concern of the girl’s mother
Police were alerted as the mother feared a sexual relationship might soon follow.
Officers spoke to the girl and she told them the relationship was only at the ‘kissing and cuddling’ stage.
When Race was spoken to, he accepted the relationship was “inappropriate”, given their ages.
It resulted in the issuing of the Child Abduction Warning, or ‘harbouring notice’, on July 17 last year, in which Race agreed not to have further contact with her.
But Social Services contacted police on August 5 alleging the defendant had ignored the terms of the order, meeting her in woods.
The girl agreed they met almost daily in the two to three weeks since the notice was issued.
Race was arrested and admitted meeting her “numerous times” after the issuing of the warning notice, saying he was in love with her, although claiming she instigated the contact.
David Lamb, mitigating, said some of the messages were “in the realms of fantasy”, “man in the moon stuff”, and despite talking of running away together, Race never left the area, and no sexual activity took place beyond kissing and cuddling.
Imposing a 16-month sentence in a young offenders’ institution, however, Judge Christopher Prince told Race: “You were inciting her to engage in sexual activity with the intention she would do so and where there was a meaningful possibility it would occur.”
Race must also register as a sex offender for ten years.
January 2015
Man pleads guilty to sexual offences
On the 23 rd January, at Durham crown court Jonathan Race of Scafell Gardens, Crook pleaded guilty to a total of 13 sexual offences against a 13 year old schoolgirl
Race has now been bailed and will return for sentencing on the 27 th February
The defendant was told not to contact the victim by any means whatsoever
May 2013
Crook man admits tattooing children as young as 13
A MUSIC student bought a tattoo gun off the internet and used it on children as young as 13.
Jonathan Race admits placing tattoos on five children, aged between 13 and 15, between March 30 and April 1.
The 18-year-old, who is studying music at the Sage in Gateshead, bought a tattoo gun and ink off the internet and had practised on his own arms and body before moving onto his younger friends.
One youngster had the word “fox” tattooed on his shoulder.
Deborah Jones, prosecuting at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court (Friday, May 3), said Race’s actions came to light when the victim’s parents discovered the tattoos and complained to the police.
She said the children had asked Race, of Laburnum Avenue, Crook, County Durham, to carry out out the tattoos and, although they did not consider themselves to be victims of crime, their parents were not happy.
“The police were contacted by two parents on April 3,” said Ms Jones. “They said they had not given their consent and were concerned as the tattoos had been carried out by someone who is not a professional and is not qualified to tattoo minors.”
The court heard how Race had read the instruction booklet that came with the tattoo gun and had disinfected all of the equipment.
However, he accepted he was not qualified to tattoo children and pleaded guilty to five charges of tattooing a person under 18 for reasons other than medical.
Darren Brown, mitigating, said Race had not been sure of the law concerning tattoos, adding: “His actions were down to his immaturity and stupidity more than anything else.”
Race received a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge.
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