ADAM HARRISON: PLYMOUTH AND TAUNTON SEX OFFENDER SENTENCED FOR CHILD RAPE AND ABUSE

In May 2022, a disturbing case unfolded involving Adam Harrison, a convicted sex offender with ties to both Plymouth and Taunton, who was found guilty of heinous crimes against a young girl. Harrison, aged 29, exploited the vulnerabilities of a 12-year-old girl he met online, leading to a depraved assault in an alleyway that shocked the local community.

According to court reports, Harrison took advantage of the girl’s chaotic and lonely circumstances, which made her susceptible to manipulation. The girl had arranged to run away from her care home in Somerset, seeking refuge and companionship. Harrison, who was known to her by an alias, was waiting for her in his car when she arrived. Without hesitation, he drove her to a secluded alley where he subjected her to oral sex, an act that was both predatory and deeply disturbing.

At the time of the assault, Harrison was under the obligation to be on the sex offender register and was supposed to reside in Plymouth. However, police later arrested him at a different address in Taunton, revealing a breach of his legal obligations. An extensive investigation uncovered that Harrison had known the girl for approximately five months and had engaged in similar inappropriate behavior with her on a prior occasion. The two had maintained contact through Snapchat messages, with the girl expressing her desperation for someone to care for her amid her troubled life.

The court heard that Harrison had been aware of her vulnerable state and that she had given him sexual favors to seek approval and affection. The girl’s emotional distress was compounded by her unstable life, which included frequent contact with men via social media platforms. She described her feelings of loneliness, stating, “I was very lonely. I would have done anything to keep someone. I wanted someone to care about me.”

Harrison’s criminal history was also highlighted during the proceedings. He had previously been jailed in 2012 for engaging in sexual activity with another 12-year-old girl, indicating a pattern of predatory behavior. In the current case, the girl was placed in emergency foster care after the incident. When she attempted to escape her foster home, her carer followed and observed a vehicle flashing its lights to signal her to get in. The car then sped away, ignoring traffic signals, and police were called after the car’s registration was photographed.

Later, the girl was found at Plymouth Railway Station, where she disclosed that she had met Harrison before and that he had taken her to Dartmoor. The court was told that she knew him by another name and that their communication was maintained through Snapchat. Harrison was aware of her extreme vulnerability, and his actions had caused her significant emotional harm.

Harrison’s whereabouts were traced to an address in Taunton, where he was found in breach of his Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which prohibited him from contacting anyone under 16. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of raping the 12-year-old girl, breaching his SOPO, and failing to comply with the sex offender register.

Judge Paul Cook delivered a stern judgment, emphasizing the danger Harrison posed to young girls. He stated, “The victim was extremely vulnerable. Through her short life she has been in and out of care. Her life had instability, chaos, and sorrow, and she has been the victim of various unkind interests in her life. The last thing she needed was you and what you did to her.”

He further condemned Harrison’s lack of awareness regarding the consequences of his actions and his reluctance to accept responsibility. The judge described him as a high risk of reoffending and a danger to female children. Harrison was sentenced to eight years and eleven months in prison, with an additional four years on extended license to ensure public safety upon his release. He is expected to serve approximately two-thirds of his sentence before being considered for parole, and he will remain under license conditions for nearly 13 years.

Harrison’s criminal record also includes a 2012 conviction for raping a girl under 13, for which he received a six-year sentence. His repeated offenses highlight a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior that continues to threaten vulnerable young girls in the community.