January 2017: Now living in Wigston

October 2011

Man posed as a teenager to groom girls on internet

A pervert that sexually groomed five young girls via a social networking site has been jailed for five years.

John David Lawson (25) was arrested in relation to two victims and initially ordered to stop using Facebook by the police – but continued to re-offend.

Leicester Crown Court was told the girls were aged between 12 and 15.

The defendant met the first victim, a 15-year-old with learning difficulties, in Leicester and tickled her on the hips.

They cuddled and kissed and he made repeated suggestions about sex acts.

Mary Prior, prosecuting, said: “When the 15-year-old’s parents checked her computer and saw the sexual content of the chat between the defendant and their daughter they phoned him and identified themselves, but he put the phone down.”

Lawson pretended to be 18 or 19 when he contacted the girls – and was sexually explicit in online chats and phone texts. While pursuing some of his victims, he offered them “a free party with fags and beer”.

Mrs Prior said he tried to encourage victims to expose themselves to him via webcam.

The second victim was aged 13 and he repeatedly asked to meet her.

The third girl was aged 12 and the fourth and fifth were 14.

Mrs Prior said the girls were emotionally affected and upset by their contact with the defendant.

Lawson, of Howden Road, Eyres Monsell, admitted sexually grooming the five girls between July last year and May this year.

Sentencing, Judge Robert Brown said: “I’m satisfied you didn’t sexually assault your victims, but in the case of the first girl you intended to have sexual intercourse with her.

“She was vulnerable with learning difficulties.

“Fortunately her mother accessed her Facebook account and intervened to prevent you from having sex with her daughter.

“You were arrested and interviewed and told to stop using Facebook. Notwithstanding that, you carried on using Facebook using a false identity.

“You then engaged in sexual advances towards others.”

Lawson was banned from working with children under 18 and will have to enlist on a sex offenders’ register for life.

He was also made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order, restricting his contact with young girls and allowing the authorities to monitor his future computer use.