GARY DRISCOLL SENTENCED IN SWINDON FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING 15-YEAR-OLD
In April 2014, Gary Driscoll, a 35-year-old man from Jopp Close, Haydon End, Swindon, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison after grooming and engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl.Driscoll, who has a daughter a year younger than his victim, exploited her crush on him for his own sexual gratification.
He accepted her Facebook friend request and exchanged explicit messages online before meeting her in secret at a local park, where they eventually had sex.
Prosecutor Colin Meeke reported that on October 29 of the previous year, Driscoll and the teenage girl arranged to meet in the park.
Mr.
Meeke explained, “She was drinking from a bottle of cider to calm her nerves when he arrived.
They kissed and cuddled.” The pair corresponded with ‘salacious messages’ on Facebook and planned further meetings.
During their third encounter in the park, Driscoll kissed and touched her before engaging in full sexual intercourse.
Mr.
Meeke described the escalation, saying, “It was an escalating pattern from meeting to touching over clothing to full intercourse.” The girl later confided in a friend at school about what had happened.
Recognizing the wrongdoing, she reported the incident to a teacher, leading to police involvement.
Driscoll pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual activity with a child and two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Defender Rob Ross claimed his client did not have a past unhealthy interest in young girls, noting he had been in relationships with women of appropriate ages.
Mr.
Ross remarked, “It is clear what took place took place when he was at a low ebb.
He had been going through a divorce for a long period of time.
The relationship he was in was not a good one.
He was flattered by the attention and he allowed himself to be stupid.
He is not someone who comes before the court thinking what he did was OK.
He knows it was wrong.
He doesn’t present as a sophisticated man in any way.” Judge Douglas Field sentenced Driscoll to prison and ordered him to register as a sex offender for life.
He stated, “There is a considerable disparity between your ages.
There were messages exchanged over Facebook.
She was being groomed and, as a result of making contact with her, you started to sexually offend against her.
And that grew in seriousness until you had sexual intercourse with her.
Her willingness to engage does not, in fact, mitigate.
She was only 15 and you are 35.
You seduced her, in my judgement, for your own sexual gratification.”
