April 2012 Bognor man jailed for trying to have sex with teenager with learning difficulties A man who tried to have sex with a teenager with learning disabilities by luring him back to his house to move furniture has been jailed. Edward Fane, of Upper Bognor Road, Bognor, has been jailed for 14 months for engaging a vulnerable teenager to engage in sexual activity without consent. The 57-year-old asked a 17-year-old boy with learning disabilities who was playing on his skateboard in the Bognor area back to his home. He told the boy he needed help moving a piece of furniture because he had a bad back. He offered the victim £10 and then took him to his home which was several miles away from where he was playing. The boy used the toilet and the helped move the cabinet in the bedroom a couple of inches before being propositioned. The frightened boy ran out of the house and when Fane found him he took him back to where he found him and gave him £10 and told him not to tell his mother. The offence came to light when the teenager was at school having a lesson on appropriate touching and the matter was then reported to the police in February 2011. Fane pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced yesterday at Chichester Crown Court. Judge Ackner told Fane that he had exploited and manipulated a very vulnerable young man. He has been ordered to sign the sexual offenders register and made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order. After the case Detective Constable Kim Clinch said: “This was a extremely vulnerable victim who as the judge said Fane preyed on and exploited. “The victim was brave in coming forward and we began an investigation as soon as it was reported to us.”