JOSHUA DREW FROM WEYMOUTH SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES INVOLVING 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL

In August 2012, a man from Weymouth was sentenced to a three-year prison term after admitting to engaging in sexual activity with a vulnerable 13-year-old girl. Joshua Drew, who resides on Broadwey Close in Weymouth, faced the court on charges related to his conduct between October 31 and November 3 of the previous year.

Judge Roger Jarvis presided over the case at Dorchester Crown Court, where Drew was accused of exploiting a young girl who was significantly more vulnerable due to her medical conditions, including ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and Asperger’s syndrome. The prosecution, led by Rachel Robertson, detailed how the victim, a girl with these conditions, had met Drew at Weymouth railway station. The girl, described as impressionable and vulnerable, agreed to go with him, believing she was going to his flat. However, she soon realized that the flat was not his own, but belonged to someone else.

According to the prosecutor, once inside the flat, Drew removed the girl’s clothing and engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse with her. It was emphasized that Drew, who was 24 at the time of the incident, was fully aware of her age and the fact that she was only 13. Despite this knowledge, he proceeded with the sexual activity. After the incident, the girl asked Drew if he would take her home, to which he responded that he would do so in the morning. The pair then spent the night at the flat.

The offense was not reported immediately. It was only approximately two weeks later that the girl confided in her mother about what had happened. This revelation led to the police investigation and subsequent court proceedings. Drew, who has a lengthy criminal history with 17 previous convictions for 29 offences, pleaded guilty to the charges, claiming that the sexual activity was consensual.

During the hearing, defense lawyer Robert Grey acknowledged Drew’s admission of guilt but highlighted that this was his first sexual offence. Grey described the incident as a “one-off” and stressed that the sexual activity was consensual. Despite these arguments, Judge Jarvis underscored the gravity of the offence, emphasizing the significant age and maturity gap between Drew and his young victim. The judge stated that the girl’s willingness, given her age and medical conditions, held little weight in mitigating the seriousness of the exploitation.

Consequently, Drew was sentenced to three years in prison. Additionally, the judge ordered that he be placed on the sex offenders’ register for life. Drew was also subjected to a sexual offences prevention order, which prohibits him from having unsupervised contact with girls under the age of 16, aiming to prevent any future harm.