February 2016 Sex offender jailed for grooming vulnerable boy over long period of time A SEX offender who “groomed and trained” a vulnerable boy for degrading abuse over a long period of time has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years. The ordeal lasted about two years and “cast a massive shadow over” the life of the victim, a court heard. Andrew Owen, 48, of Barton Street, Laceby, denied four offences of indecent assault on a boy. He was convicted by a jury at Grimsby Crown Court on majority verdicts after a trial. He was cleared of four other offences.  Judge David Tremberg told Owen: “You decided to engineer opportunities to explore your sexual urges with the boy. That was and is serious.” The boy was “sexually inexperienced and entirely ill-equipped to protect himself” from Owen’s advances but was “conditioned and corrupted” into accepting sexual conduct. “He felt unable to stop it,” said Judge Tremberg. “He felt ashamed and embarrassed. You groomed and trained him into acquiescing and participating in sexual abuse of escalating gravity.” Owen gave the boy alcohol and cannabis. Owen later made limited admissions and was given a police caution. “You thought you had got away with it completely,” said Judge Tremberg. The victim could not put the sexual abuse out of his memory. “You caused the complainant significant and substantial emotional harm,” said Judge Tremberg. “You caused this victim deep-seated and enduring emotional harm.” The memory of it had “cast a massive shadow over his life and continues to do so” and he had turned to drugs to escape the memories of what Owen had done to him. He had suffered flashbacks and difficulty trusting people. “What you did has infected every part of his life,” added Judge Tremberg. “You knew it was wrong. There was a significant degree of planning and grooming.” Gordon Stables, mitigating, said Owen had no previous convictions. He would lose his job as a stores and purchasing manager and his home would have to be sold. Owen was ordered to register as a sex offender for life.