August 2009 Ten years’ prison for paedophile A BLACK Country man who went on the run during his trial for a string of serious sexual offences against a young girl has been sent to prison for ten years.  Judge Michael Challinor told 38-year-old Ian Russon of Heath Road it was clear he had “groomed” his victim and she was also threatened unless she agreed to his sexual demands.  “The harm you have done to this young girl is considerable and long standing,” he told Russon at Wolverhampton Crown Court.  “There is no mitigation whatsoever and even your good character counts for naught,” added the judge as he ruled that a significant sentence had to be passed to protect the public.  Russon had been found guilty in his absence on four charges of taking indecent photographs of a child, making indecent images of a child and also sexual activity with a girl aged under 16.  He went on the run before the end of his trial but was eventually arrested in a churchyard in the Netherton area.  Darron Whitehead, defending said Russon, a man with no previous convictions, had decided to stay away from his trial because he needed time to “gather his thoughts and feelings.”  He said Russon failed to accept the consequences of his actions and added: “It can now be hoped that this girl can close this chapter and get on with the rest of her life.”  Mr Whitehead said Russon could not complain about the verdicts brought in by the jury after they retired to consider the evidence at the end of his trial. Russon, he added, had not gone too far during his time on the run and he had remained in the locality.  This was his first taste of custody and he acknowledged it was the young girl who was the victim in the case.  Russon was further disqualified for life by the judge from working with children and also told he must register indefinitely as a sex offender.  The judge also made him the subject of a Sexual Offenders Protection Order for 15-years and confiscated all of his computer and camera equipment.