24-year-old jailed for repeatedly having sex with 13-year-old girl
A 24-YEAR-OLD man has been jailed for two years after repeatedly having sex with a 13-year-old girl from Malmesbury.
Ross Lancaster initially thought the girl was 16 when he started seeing her, but continued sleeping with her after he discovered that she was below the age of consent.
Swindon Crown Court heard yesterday that the girl left Lancaster’s home in her school uniform one morning.
Colin Meeke, prosecuting, said that Lancaster and the girl first met through friends in Malmesbury and she then looked him up on Facebook.
“There came a point where she specifically told him she was 14 – that also was not true. She was 13,” he said. “That is a text message recovered from his telephone, confirming he had received it. They continued the relationship.
“They met, she effectively staying out at night deceiving her parents as to where she was going and staying with him, at one stage leaving from his home in school uniform to go to school the following day.
“Matters came to a head when her mother heard a telephone conversation which disturbed her greatly.”
When he was questioned by police, Lancaster said he did not know she was underage and claimed he must have been high on drink or drugs when he got the text as he hadn’t read it.
Lancaster, now of Caxton Crescent in Evesham, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with the girl.
Mathew Scott, representing Lancaster, said his client was currently serving a 15-month jail term for burglary at a house he was supposed to be looking after for a friend.
He said he is “deeply remorseful” for what happened and does not believe the girl was in any way responsible.
Jailing him, Judge Tim Mousley QC said: “I have to sentence you for three counts of sexual activity with a child. Each of then involving full penetrative sex. She was, at the time, only 13.
“I accept, as do the prosecution, that initially you thought she was 16 but the fact is that there came a point that you realised what her true age was and you knew perfectly well that it should have stopped then, and it didn’t.
“I have read what she said in a recent statement about how this has affected her. That statement in some ways shows her naivety and she says she feels responsible for what happened.
“You well know that couldn’t be further from the truth and she should bear no responsibility at all.”
He imposed a two-year sentence and told him he must register as a sex offender for 10 years.
February 2015
Man who repeatedly had sex with a 13-year-old girl in Malmesbury has been told he is facing a jail term
Ross Lancaster slept with the youngster in the town on three occasions over a long weekend in May last year.
The 24-year-old, of Evesham, Worcestershire, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child when he appeared at Swindon Crown Court.
Mathew Scott, defending, said that his client had received a text message from the girl saying she was 16 before the first incident on May 16.
“He learned subsequently she was 13 in further texts but he continued with the activity. He is aware a custodial sentence is all but inevitable,” he said.
Mr Scott said his client was currently a serving prisoner, having been jailed for burglary late last year, but still asked for a presentence report.
Adjourning the hearing to March 26 Recorder Maria Lamb said “Your case can’t be dealt with today.
“I am willing to accede to the application for you to have a presentence report but you probably will have gleaned from what I have said and what your counsel has said the almost inevitable outcome here is a sentence of immediate custody.”
