KAREN POTTER AND NEIL OXLADE SHOCK COLWYN BAY AND HOVE WITH CHILD SEX OFFENSES

In a disturbing series of events that have sent shockwaves through the communities of Colwyn Bay and Hove, two individuals have been found guilty of heinous crimes involving underage girls. The case, which was prosecuted at Brighton Crown Court, revealed a disturbing pattern of exploitation and abuse carried out by Karen Potter, a 35-year-old care assistant residing on Harrison Road in Worthing, and Neil Oxlade, a 37-year-old car salesman from Colwyn Bay, Wales.

According to court records and police reports, Potter was convicted of multiple serious charges, including facilitating prostitution of a minor, engaging in sexual activity with a child, and sexual activity in the presence of a child. The offences involved two girls under the age of 16, with one victim being only 13 years old at the time of the abuse. Potter was sentenced to a lengthy term of ten years in prison for her crimes.

The court heard that Potter’s financial struggles appeared to have driven her to orchestrate a series of exploitative schemes. One such scheme involved setting up a fake glamour photoshoot with Oxlade, during which she intended to arrange sex for him with a schoolgirl in exchange for £500 cash. The victim, a 13-year-old girl, was reportedly given vodka and coerced into taking provocative photographs of Potter and Oxlade engaging in sexual acts. The girl was then subjected to sexual activity herself, with Potter and Oxlade participating in front of her.

Further details revealed that Potter had also used alcohol and cannabis to manipulate another girl, a 15-year-old, whom she drove to meet Oxlade for sex along a secluded path at night. The court also established that Potter had prostituted the 15-year-old girl by facilitating a meeting with Oxlade for sexual purposes. The disturbing testimony painted a picture of a woman willing to exploit minors for her own financial gain.

Neil Oxlade, who was found guilty of paying for sex with a child and engaging in sexual activity in front of a minor, received a sentence of six and a half years. The jury acquitted him of rape charges, but he was convicted of other sexual offences involving the underage victims. Described by the victim as a “fat man with glasses,” Oxlade’s involvement in the abuse was detailed through court testimonies, including his participation in sexual acts with Potter in front of the young girl.

In addition to the convictions against Potter and Oxlade, the court also sentenced Daniel McCaw, an unemployed man from Sompting, to five years in prison. McCaw was convicted of two sexual offences involving Potter but was found not guilty of rape. The court clarified that he had engaged in sexual activity with a minor, but the jury did not find sufficient evidence to convict him of rape charges.

The case came to public attention after the victim, now 18 and living in Brighton, went missing. Her uncle tracked her down to Whitehawk, where she disclosed the abuse she had endured. This revelation prompted her to report the incidents to Sussex Police, leading to the subsequent investigation and court proceedings.

The judge, David Rennie, scheduled the sentencing for Potter and Oxlade for Tuesday, January 31, following a jury deliberation that extended into the lunchtime of January 27. The case has highlighted the grave dangers faced by minors and the importance of vigilant law enforcement in protecting vulnerable children from exploitation and abuse.