CRAIG WILKINSON SCARBOROUGH SEX OFFENDER JAILED FOR ABUSING 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN YORK

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, Craig Wilkinson, a 32-year-old man from Scarborough, has been sentenced to six years in prison after being found guilty of heinous crimes involving a young girl. The case was heard at York Crown Court, where it was revealed that Wilkinson had engaged in a series of criminal acts targeting a 13-year-old girl he met through online communications.

According to the prosecution, Wilkinson initially established a friendship with the girl via the internet, where he exploited her vulnerability. The relationship escalated when the girl traveled to York Station, where Wilkinson arranged to meet her in person. Over the course of their interactions, Wilkinson took the girl to the Premier Inn at Bilbrough on two separate occasions, during which he committed sexual acts against her. In total, the pair met five times, each encounter further compounding the severity of Wilkinson’s offenses.

Matthew Bean, the prosecutor, highlighted the tragic aftermath of Wilkinson’s actions, noting that the girl had suffered severe emotional distress. She had attempted to take her own life and engaged in self-harm, leading to her being sectioned under the Mental Health Act for a period of time. Despite these efforts, she remained infatuated with Wilkinson, a fact that underscored the manipulative nature of his conduct.

During the sentencing, Recorder Bernard Gateshill described the case as extraordinary, emphasizing the disturbing dynamics at play. He stated, “This is an extraordinary case. Either she has been disturbed by your behaviour towards her, or alternatively you took advantage of her disturbed state of mind.”

In addition to the prison sentence, Wilkinson was handed an indefinite ban from having any contact with children unless explicitly approved by social services. He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for life, reflecting the gravity of his crimes and the potential risk he poses to society.

Det Sgt Sarah Bestington, from the York Protecting Vulnerable Persons Unit, expressed her satisfaction that Wilkinson had admitted to his offences. She emphasized the importance of accountability, stating, “It is pleasing that Craig Wilkinson has owned up to his offences which have no place in today’s society. Although he knew he was breaking the law by taking advantage of an underage girl, he continued to commit his sick crimes. Hopefully, prison will give him plenty of time to reflect on his actions and realize that what he has done is completely unacceptable.”

Wilkinson pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including grooming girls for sex, engaging in sexual activity with a minor, possessing indecent photographs and videos of girls, and possessing an indecent image of a boy. Police investigations uncovered explicit videos and photographs on his mobile phone, alongside a staggering number of text messages exchanged with the girl—2,806 messages sent from January to April of that year, with over 3,000 received in return. Many of these messages contained sexually explicit content, and Wilkinson was aware of her age.

Further investigations revealed that between June 2011 and March 2012, Wilkinson had also exchanged similar messages with another 13-year-old girl. He met her in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, and at a cinema, although no sexual activity took place during these encounters.

Defense solicitor Kevin Blount argued that Wilkinson was not sexually attracted to children but was seeking companionship following a difficult breakup and was suffering from depression at the time. He claimed that Wilkinson had been at a low point in his life, which contributed to his actions. However, the judge dismissed these claims, stating that Wilkinson was in denial about his conduct and posed a future risk to children. It was also revealed that Wilkinson had sent an indecent photograph of a boy to himself but had forgotten to delete it, further complicating his case.