JOSHUA MURRELL FROM CREWE SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING UNDERAGE GIRL
A convicted sex offender from Crewe, Joshua Murrell, used Snapchat to pretend he was 15 years old in order to groom an underage girl before meeting her for sex.Murrell, who was actually 19 at the time, has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple serious sexual offences.
His victim was 13 and 14 years old during the offences.
Murrell, of Plane Tree Drive, was already subject to a five-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) following a conviction for sexual offences in March 2020.
He was sentenced at Chester Crown Court on December 9 after admitting to charges including sexual activity, sexual communication with a child, and breaches of the SHPO.
Prosecutor Rob Edwards stated that the SHPO forbade Murrell from using the internet to contact anyone under 16.
Despite this, Murrell contacted the victim on Snapchat on May 8 and continued messaging her even after she told him she was 13.
He falsely claimed to be 15 and began requesting images of her.
After receiving these, he called her "sexy," told her he loved her, and sent an explicit image of his erect penis.
Mr.
Edwards explained that Murrell told the girl that "if she did everything he wanted," he would give her "everything she wanted," valued at up to 500 pounds.
On June 1, Murrell met the girl at a park in Nantwich, where they shared a kiss.
The following days, June 2 and 3, he had sex with her near a lake in Nantwich, the court heard.
The victim later confided in her support worker, leading to police involvement.
After Murrell's arrest, he initially denied knowing the victim and was released under investigation.
However, on August 29, he re-established contact with the girl anonymously via Snapchat.
Mr.
Edwards indicated that messages later surfaced on WhatsApp, in which Murrell stated he planned to marry her when she turned 16 and asked her to keep their contact secret.
"She felt sorry for him," Mr.
Edwards said, "and didn’t want to cooperate with the police." On August 31, Murrell and the girl met again in Crewe, where they engaged in sexual activity.
They planned to meet again but never did, and Murrell was re-arrested the following month.
The victim has since experienced panic attacks and feelings of sadness and anger due to the offences.
Defence lawyer Sarah Badrawy noted that Murrell has autism and is aware that he faces a significant sentence.
She explained, "He struggles to understand why he offends in this way.
It's something he wants to explore and address." Badrawy added that her client does not want to spend his life committing offences of this nature, and he hopes to understand the reasons behind his behaviour to prevent future offending.
Murrell has support from his family and an employment opportunity upon release.
Judge Simon Berkson acknowledged the impact of the offences, stating, "The offences committed by Murrell have had a significant effect on the victim." He addressed Murrell directly: "You are 19 and have pleaded guilty to a number of sexual offences.
You groomed your victim who was then aged 13, pretending to be 15.
The grooming became sexual.
You initially denied the offences and lied until your first appearance at court." The judge also noted that Murrell's autism may have contributed to his difficulty in forming relationships with peers.
He sentenced Murrell to five and a half years in a youth detention centre, with half of that time to be served on licence.
Additionally, he imposed a 12-year SHPO and a restraining order lasting the same period.
