Seaham Man Jailed for Grooming Schoolgirl with Drugs and Alcohol

SEAHAM MAN JAILED FOR GROOMING SCHOOLGIRL WITH DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

A MAN who groomed a schoolgirl with drugs and alcohol before having sex with her at his home has been jailed for four years.

Gareth Charlton, aged 32, of Ryton Crescent, Seaham, County Durham, told the teenager to keep their meetings secret, and once warned her to delete all text messages between them.

Despite being warned by police about contact with the girl, Charlton continued his actions.

The prosecutor Shaun Dodds told Teesside Crown Court that Charlton expressed his desire to give her 'kids, a house, everything a girl would dream of.' The relationship was exposed when the girl told a friend about being given booze and cannabis, leading to teacher investigations.

Charlton initially denied any wrongdoing but later admitted three charges of sexual activity with a child in court.

Joanne Kidd, defending, highlighted his previous convictions, noting none were for sexual crimes involving children, and argued he was not habitually predatory.

Charlton was also prohibited from having unsupervised contact with girls under 16.

Judge Bowers emphasized that ignoring police warnings and trying to delete messages was aggravating, and remarked on how the girl was somewhat flattered by his attention, noting his ability to take her to his flat.