A dad-of-six must sign the sex offenders register after telling a child she was “fit”.

Carl Kavanagh, 37, appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court this morning charged with engaging in communication with a child for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification between 25 December 2019 and 6 January 2020.

Crown prosecutor Keith Ballinger said the defendant, of Stubsmead, Eldene, began messaging his friend’s teenage daughter on Facebook about a car her father was selling, but those messages soon turned perverted.

The court heard Kavanagh was friends with his 14-year-old victim’s father and had often drunk together at his address. His victim was known to him prior to this offending.

He’s said to have complimented her, saying “I think you’re fit” despite the child repeatedly telling him her age. Kavanagh also said: “We can be more than friends if you want to.”

The girl believed what he was saying was wrong and informed her father. Subsequently, he informed the police.

When he was interviewed about the claims, he told officers he couldn’t remember when he added her on Facebook, but had added her to message her about a car being sold by her father.

It was confirmed he remained friends with her on Facebook at the time of the interview, despite his now-fiancée having told him to unfriend her following the allegation.

He admitted the offence

District judge Joanna Dickens ordered a pre-sentence report and adjourned the case for sentencing in May.

She told Kavanagh he must visit Gablecross Police Station to register a sex offender within 72 hours. The length of time he’ll be on the register will be determined during sentencing.

But the 26-year-old, who was around 16 at the time of the offending, was spared an immediate prison sentence after Recorder Elisabeth Bussey-Jones heard he was a youth at the time, had developmental issues and had remained out of trouble since the sexual assaults were committed.

Prosecutor James Haskell told the court that Cook’s assaults on two boys were reported to the police in 2017 after the victims’ respective family members happened to learn of the incidents.

The first victim, who was of primary school age, had been playing football in an alleyway by the defendant’s house when his ball was kicked into the teenager’s garden.

Cook told the boy he had another ball inside the house and took him upstairs to his bedroom. He told the victim to get on the bed and remove his clothes. Cook also undressed himself and touched the boy’s privates.

The defendant told the boy not to tell anyone as he’d get in trouble.

The second victim, who was under primary school age and not known to the first boy, told police Cook had got him to pull down his trousers. Cook, who was naked, performed oral sex on the boy. The assault stopped when the boy’s brother walked into the room.

The assaults were said to have been committed around a decade ago when Cook was 16 or 17 years old.

They were reported to the police in mid-2017. Mr Haskell said: “There happened to be a conversation between [the second victim’s] grandmother and [the first victim’s] mother when both families suddenly realised both boys had independently made complaints about the defendant’s behaviour and it was then the matter was reported to the police.”

Cook was interviewed in September 2017 and made limited admissions, although denied performing oral sex on one of the victims.

Lee Cook, of Mannington Park, Swindon, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual assault by touching.

Sentencing him to two years’ imprisonment suspended for two years, Recorder Bussey-Jones said: “These two young boys, now young men, would undoubtedly have been deeply affected by what you did.” The victims would live with Cook’s actions for the rest of their lives, she added. 

He was made subject to a supervision order for two years and must complete a rehabilitation programme. He was given a five-year restraining order banning him from contacting his victims and will be placed on the sex offender’s register for a decade.

A paedophile who abused and intimidated young girls over several years will spend at least eight years in prison.

Mark Bradley, 44, formerly of Antrobus Road, Amesbury, was sentenced today at Winchester Crown Court after being found guilty of four counts of rape, two of rape of a child aged 13 to 15 and three charges of cruelty to a child.