Shropshire Star

Telford soldier bombarded girl, 14, with pleas for explicit pictures

A soldier who told a 14-year-old girl to carry out a sex act on video has been given a suspended jail term.

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Dean Evans, 21, of Hendy Avenue, Telford, “pestered” the girl to send explicit pictures, and told her there were “lots of other girls” who would have sex with him if she didn’t.

Shrewsbury Crown Court heard how Evans’ offending came to light on July 11, 2019.

The girl's mother grew concerned about the contact she was having with Evans when she looked through her mobile phone. Explicit images of the victim were found, and Evans was arrested in Hampshire, where he was then based with the Army.

Prosecutor Mark Brookes told how on one occasion Evans told the girl to meet him in Telford, and when she arrived he put her on his knee. He told her he wanted to have sex with her there, and asked "don't you love me?" To placate Evans, she told him she loved him "as a mate" but it felt "weird and wrong". He then told her he "had other girls he could have sex with" on the field where they were sitting.

They stopped contact, but Evans later got back in touch, and after a period of non-sexual communication, he started to become "more and more sexual" and told her to carry out a sex act on video.

Explicit images of youths aged between 13 and 16 were also found on his devices.

In a victim impact statement, the girl said: "At the time he made me feel special and I trusted him. I now realise he was an adult and was taking advantage of me. I've suffered nightmares and lost my confidence. I didn't deserve the things he put me through."

Evans pleaded guilty to sexual communication with child, sexual activity with a child, causing/inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, making indecent photographs of a child, and possessing extreme pornographic images.

Judge Thomas sentenced Evans to a six-month jail term, suspended for 18 months. He will also be issued with a sexual harm prevention order. and told her to carry out a sex act on video.

Explicit images of youths aged between 13 and 16 were also found on his devices.

In a victim impact statement, the girl said: "At the time he made me feel special and I trusted him. I now realise he was an adult and was taking advantage of me. I've suffered nightmares and lost my confidence. I didn't deserve the things he put me through."

Evans, of Hendy Avenue, Telford, pleaded guilty to sexual communication with child, sexual activity with a child, causing/inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, making indecent photographs of a child, and possessing extreme pornographic images.

Debra White, defending, asked Judge Stephen Thomas to take into consideration the fact that Evans was 18 at the time of the offences.

Judge Thomas sentenced Evans to a six-month jail term, suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and 40 rehabilitation activity days. Evans will also be issued with a sexual harm prevention order for seven years.

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