DARLINGTON MAN GARY DRUMMOND SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS FOR GROOMING AND SEX WITH UNDERAGE GIRL
In September 2017, a man from Darlington, Gary Drummond, aged 25, was sentenced to five years in prison for grooming an underage girl and engaging in sexual activity with her.Prosecutor Ian Mullarkey revealed that Drummond bought the teenager a mobile phone and clothing, and supplied her with vodka and cannabis.
The girl’s mother grew suspicious when her daughter's dishonesty and behavioral changes caused tension within their home.
She remarked, “I can honestly say although she acts tough, she is very vulnerable and is easy to prey on.” Evidence recovered from Drummond’s phone included a photo of the two of them kissing and cuddling, as well as an image of the girl’s naked breast.
Initially, Drummond denied both purchasing cannabis or alcohol for the girl, claiming he believed she was 17.
However, he later learned her true age.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of meeting a child following sexual grooming.
Judge Ashurst sentenced him to serve time in prison, ordered him to sign the sex offenders’ register for life, and prohibited any unsupervised contact with individuals under 16.
The judge stated, “Until the summer, you have no previous criminal convictions.
Over a short period of weeks, you groomed her by treating her well, and she was flattered by that attention.
In my judgment, she was plainly vulnerable due to her very young age, and really still a child in every respect, and the damage you have done may be difficult to calculate now, and it may take many years before the true impact is known to all concerned.”
