A 45 week suspended sentence for grooming a 14 year old and her friend? You may not agree with me but any case of an adult commiting a sexual offence against a child should carry an automatic prison sentence of with a minimum of 1 year and an unlimited maximum amount.
A pensioner who is considered a "high risk" to children was spared jail after he groomed a teen and wrote her a filthy letter.
Neil Milner, 65, of Green Leas, Sunbury, was given a 45-week sentence, suspended for two years, ordered to complete a sex offender programme and made the subject of a supervision order when he appeared at Kingston Crown Court yesterday.
Milner was found guilty of inciting a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity by a jury in July.
During the trial, video footage was shown to the court of the victim’s police interview in which she described Milner’s grooming behaviour of plying her and her friend with booze and cigarettes, and making lewd comments towards them.
Two explicit letters written by Milner and given to the victim on July 21 and 22 last year were also read out.
Judge QC Nicholas Price said the letter was "revolting" and added: “This was not simply done on the spare of the moment but was a culmination of a long and detailed grooming process which may have lasted as long as 18 months.”
He continued: “I am concerned that according to the assessment you appear to be someone who possesses a high risk of harm to children.”
Mitigating for Milner Steven Hadley said the defendant was previously of good character and although the pre-sentence report said there was a high risk of him offending in relation to children, another part of it contradicted itself by saying the likelihood of re-offending was low.
Milner was also ordered to sign the sex offenders' register and under the constraints of the two-year supervision order that was imposed he was told he must not befriend anyone under the age of 16, not allow anyone under the age of 18 into his home or enter the home of a youth without their parents or legal guardian being present.
He is also prohibited from undertaking work or recreational activities with young people.
