WOMAN GROOMED A VULNERABLE TEENAGER BEFORE HAVING SEX WITH HIM
A 44-year-old woman, Emma Hurley, was convicted of grooming and having sexual contact with a boy under 16 whom she had influenced.She used her position of authority to manipulate the young individual, who required additional educational support, as revealed during her trial at Manchester Crown Court.
The police visited the boy’s residence to inform his parents of the situation.
Although the boy initially denied the claims made by officers, he was later observed in her car during a police stop.
Hurley was subsequently sentenced to jail.
"In the car was cannabis, nitrous oxide canisters, a machete and two small knives," Hannah Forsyth, prosecuting, said.
"He was under the influence of drugs and he was arrested.
He said he had been groomed by the defendant.
A road side drug test revealed that he was positive for cannabis.
"Afterwards he denied he was in a sexual relationship with the defendant." The boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said Hurley followed him on Instagram, before she started sending him 'freaky and sexy reels'.
They exchanged phone numbers and arranged to meet, during which she performed a sexual act on him inside her car.
Their communication persisted through messages, leading to another meeting and subsequent sexual activity.
The boy stated that he had never engaged in sex before.
He disclosed to investigators that sexual encounters occurred at hotels, even following nights out together.
At one stage, he terminated the interview and withdrew from the conversation.
Forensic analysis of his mobile device uncovered 775 calls made to Hurley over two months, in addition to over 10,000 messages exchanged.
n one exchange, she wrote: "Hey x." He replied: "Come mine later x." Messages, the court heard, were 'sexual in nature'.
During one conversation, they discussed police getting involved.
Hurley told the boy to delete their messages and suggested she would factory reset her phone.
Sexual images and videos were also recovered.
Hurley was arrested and bailed.
She was ordered not to contact the boy, but police later spotted them in a car together.
The boy was driving, with Hurley in the passenger seat.
They led cops on a 20-minute chase.
The boy tried to walk away when the pursuit came to an end.
Hurley answered 'no comment' to officers' questions.
In a statement read in court, the boy said: "She took me under her wing and gave me more attention.
I got gifts and money.
It didn't feel right.
I felt pressure to have a sexual relationship.
"She would pick me up in secret and kept telling me to be quiet.
I trusted her.
I felt like I couldn't speak to anybody about it.
I felt like I had to spend time with her." He said that when he was arrested, he 'went to some train tracks' as he felt his life was 'over'.
"I thought they were going to send me to prison," he added.
"I wanted to take my own life." The boy said he was left feeling 'angry and confused' and felt like he couldn't trust anyone.
His loved ones' lives had been turned 'upside down', he added.
"I can't express my feelings," his statement continued.
"I feel she manipulated and took advantage of me.
She should not have done what she did to me." Niamh McGinty, defending, said Hurley's lack of previous convictions demonstrated that she 'doesn't have a long-standing sexual interest in children'.
Hurley wept throughout her sentencing hearing.
"She understands he was the child and she was the adult," Ms McGinty added.
"She understands she held a position of trust.
It was her responsibility to maintain boundaries," she said.
"She has a significant history of mental health difficulties and personal trauma." The court heard Hurley lost a thumb at work and had PTSD; depression; anxiety; and was isolated.
"She is ashamed and disgusted with herself," Ms McGinty said.
Hurley, of Redwing Drive, Chorley, Lancashire, was jailed for three years and four months.
She previously pleaded guilty to four counts being an offender over 18 engaging in sexual activity with a boy; and one offence of engaging in sexual communication with a child.
Sentencing, Recorder of Manchester, Judge Nicholas Dean KC said the boy was 'vulnerable'.
"You became a pervasive and corrupting influence," the judge said.
"You have expressed shame and remorse.
You felt emotionally unsupported.
In the relationship with him you felt seen, understood and safe.
"You knew full well the complainant was a child and you placed your own needs above the welfare of the boy."
