TEENAGER JOSHUA JAMES ANDREW FOSTER OF WATERLOO, HAMPSHIRE, SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES IN WEYMOUTH

A 19-year-old man from Waterloo, Hampshire, Joshua James Andrew Foster, has been sentenced to nine years in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing a seven-year-old girl in Weymouth. Foster was found guilty at Dorchester Crown Court of raping a child under 13, with the charge stemming from an incident where he forced the young girl to perform a sex act on him.

Foster, of Hereford Road, Weymouth, was also convicted of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. This included an incident in which he exposed himself to the girl and dared her to perform a sex act, which she refused. Both offences occurred in January of this year.

During the trial, Foster broke down in tears as the verdicts were announced. Witnesses had previously viewed a recorded police interview with the girl, who is now eight. In her statement, she described the first incident as a secret and called it "gross," illustrating how Foster forced her to perform the sex act using dolls during the interview. She told police: "I didn't want to do it but he just forced me."

The girl recounted that on another occasion, she was playing a dare game with Foster when he exposed himself and encouraged her to perform a sex act. She said, "He wanted me really badly to do it but I didn't want to."

Foster gave evidence in his own defence, completely denying any sexual activity. However, it took a jury of seven men and five women approximately four and a half hours to return guilty verdicts on both counts.

At the sentencing hearing, Foster's lawyer Lee Christmas asked Judge Roger Jarvis to consider his client’s youth and previously good character. The judge responded, "The jury has convicted you of one of the most serious offences in the criminal calendar. The crown’s case shows that this was borne out of your own sexual frustration. This was a young girl who lacked understanding, and you took appalling advantage of her to satisfy your own needs."

Judge Jarvis emphasized the long-lasting emotional impact on the victim, stating, "It will be a burden to her for the rest of her life. Your inability to control your sexual urges means you must now spend a very long time in custody."

Foster was sentenced to nine years for rape and an additional six years for inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The sentences will run concurrently, and he will be required to register as a sex offender indefinitely.

The victim’s father expressed his satisfaction with the sentence, stating, "I am glad with the result that he got nine years; he deserved it. She’s a brave girl, and if she hadn’t come forward, he could have done this to someone else. He’s definitely got everything he deserved."

He also praised the police for their role in bringing Foster to justice, saying, "They have done a good job, and the way they have worked with my daughter has been really good."

Detective Constable Georgina Guyett, involved in the case, issued a statement commending the young victim’s strength and courage. She said, "Dorset Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Team would like to thank the victim for coming forward. It took a great deal of bravery to speak out against Mr. Foster, and their actions have protected others from potential harm. We want to reassure all victims that they can come forward at any time, confidently and in safety, to share their experiences."