CHRISTOPHER JONES GROOMED GIRLS IN MALTON AND SCARBOROUGH AND RECEIVES 4-YEAR SENTENCE

In June 2014, a man named Christopher John Jones was sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of grooming two young girls in North Yorkshire, specifically in the towns of Malton and Scarborough. The case revealed disturbing details about Jones's manipulative behavior and breach of trust within these communities.

Jones, aged 28 at the time, had established close relationships with the families of the victims, which allowed him to gain their confidence and access to the girls. During the period of January and February 2013, Jones stayed with one of the girls, further complicating the situation and highlighting the extent of his involvement. His actions came to light following an argument, which led to the disclosure of his inappropriate conduct.

The court heard that Jones had engaged in multiple inappropriate acts with the two 13-year-old girls. These acts included kissing and hugging them on numerous occasions, touching them inappropriately through their clothing, and encouraging them to touch his genitals over his clothing. One of the girls was led to believe that she was his girlfriend, which underscores the manipulative nature of his behavior.

During the trial, Taryn Turner, representing Jones, argued that neither of the girls had previously complained about him, and emphasized that no physical force was used. She described the allegations as involving low-level sexual behavior and pointed out that Jones had a troubled adolescence, though she made it clear that this did not justify his actions.

Jones pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual activity with a child, four counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one count of attempting to engage a child in sexual activity. His Honour Judge Kearl sentenced him to a total of four years in prison, highlighting the breach of trust involved in his actions and criticizing his denial of wrongdoing during police interviews.

Judge Kearl remarked that Jones had shown some remorse but found it somewhat insincere, noting that Jones appeared to lack full understanding of the gravity of his actions. The judge also pointed out that Jones had blamed the victims for their involvement, which he said normalized his behavior. The court was told that Jones described his conduct as a 'normal relationship' and claimed he was 'having a laugh,' which the judge found deeply troubling and indicative of his failure to grasp the seriousness of his crimes.