Shropshire man who groomed schoolgirls for sex acts is jailed
Three schoolgirls were groomed on social networks by a Shropshire man to become involved in a variety of sexual activity, a court heard.
David Martin, 22, had sex on three occasions with one of the victims and had encouraged both her and a young girl to stage acts of pornography.
Over a four-month period last year police discovered 48,000 communications on Martin's iPhone involving one of the girls.
At Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday he was jailed for a total of three years and eight months after admitting 14 charges.
Judge Robin Onions said Martin was involved in extensive grooming and had targeted the three victims and other girls because he wanted sex.
"Even if these girls may have made unwise decisions, you knew you were breaking the law and that they were under age. You knew what you were doing was wrong," said Judge Onions.
Martin will be on the sex offenders' register for life, will be subject to a Sex Offences Prevention Order for seven years and is banned from any regulated activity involving children.
The court heard that the offences happened between March and June last year when Martin was aged 20 and had been living with his parents in Ludlow.
After the offences were discovered he moved to live in a flat in Station Road, Knighton, on the Shropshire/Powys border.
Miss Jane Sarginson, prosecuting, said police were alerted by an older girl who had contact with Martin.
The court heard he had manipulated the victims by showing photographs of him appearing to self-harm and saying he had cancer.
Mr Brendon Reedy, for Martin, said his client was immature and had educational difficulties and was naturally shy and had found communication easier on social networks.
Mr Reedy said Martin now had a girlfriend aged 18. None of the images of the girls had been distributed in any way and he was unlikely to offend again.