JAMES BLUNDELL SENTENCED IN LIVERPOOL FOR PREDATORY SEXUAL OFFENCES
A disturbing case involving James Blundell, of Haydock, Liverpool, has resulted in a lengthy prison sentence after he committed numerous sexual offences against young boys, including rape and abuse, the Liverpool Echo reports.Blundell, 36 years old, engaged in a depraved campaign of grooming and assaulting children by taking them on trips to McDonald's, Cheshire Oaks, and other locations.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that he had a longstanding sexual interest in children, which the judge described as leading to a pattern of predatory behavior.
Blundell has been sentenced to more than 14 years in prison.
On March 28, the court detailed how Blundell befriended one of his victims, paying him £10 to wash his car.
The boy also performed chores for Blundell in exchange for pocket money.
Prosecutor Michael Scholes recounted how Blundell subsequently took the boy out in his car to buy sweets, visit McDonald's, Southport, and Cheshire Oaks, often returning him home after giving him a £10 note.
Alarmingly, concerns arose when a neighbor reported suspicions to the boy’s parents, prompting his mother to ask him about James Blundell.
The boy became very distressed, even physically sick, as he revealed that Blundell had attempted to rape him, engaged in sexual acts with him, performed a sex act in front of him, and sent him a picture of his penis.
One specific incident involved Blundell forcing the boy to perform a sex act after pulling over on the East Lancs Road.
Blundell warned him not to tell his mother, saying he would be in big trouble.
On another trip to Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet, after buying food from McDonald's, Blundell attempted to touch the boy’s private parts over his clothing, but the boy kept blocking him.
Following police investigations into these offences, which were reported in November last year, authorities uncovered that Blundell had also abused a second victim.
This second boy described being taken to McDonald's in Earlestown, where they parked near a sports club.
There, Blundell started talking about sexual topics, claiming he had sexually transmitted diseases, showed pornography on his phone, and asked to see the boy’s penis.
The boy refused, and Blundell responded by pulling out his own penis, waving it around while laughing, before returning him home.
Blundell later sent the second boy inappropriate messages, including pornographic images via Instagram.
Police found three category C indecent images of children on Blundell’s phone, which was hidden beneath his pillow.
The device also contained an image of a person performing oral sex on a dog.
Previously, Blundell received a 12-month suspended prison sentence in 2016 after he pleaded guilty to multiple child sexual offences, including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, distributing indecent images, and possessing indecent images.
He was also subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.
His defense admitted the severity of his crimes, with his lawyer stating, "He accepts that there is nothing at all I can say on his behalf to mitigate the truly horrific crimes that he has committed.
He, through me, offers his most sincere apologies to the young children and their families, and everybody who has been affected by his terrible actions." The lawyer added that Blundell recognized his unhealthy interest in children and expressed a desire for help to rehabilitate himself after serving his sentence.
Blundell was convicted of three counts of rape, two attempted rape charges, three counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, three counts of sexual activity in front of a child, engaging in sexual communication with a child, possession and making of indecent images of children, possession of an extreme pornographic image, and two charges of breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
He was sentenced to 14 years and five months in prison, with an additional five years on license.
Furthermore, Judge Anil Murray issued a 15-year restraining order against him and an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
Blundell is also required to register as a sex offender for life.
