KARL MOLLOY FROM RUNCORN SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES INVOLVING LINCOLN SCHOOLGIRL

In a disturbing case that highlights the dangers of online grooming and the serious consequences of such actions, Karl Molloy, a 35-year-old man from Thorn Road, Runcorn, has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison. The court heard how Molloy engaged in a series of criminal acts involving a 14-year-old girl he met through social media, specifically on the platform Faceparty.

According to court proceedings, Molloy initially established contact with the girl, who was from Lincoln, by chatting on the social networking site. As their online conversations progressed, Molloy persuaded her to send him indecent photographs, claiming she was 16 years old. Despite her revealing her true age, Molloy continued to pursue the relationship, which culminated in him driving over 100 miles from Runcorn to Lincoln to meet her in person.

Two weeks after learning her real age, Molloy traveled to Lincoln and arranged to meet the girl at a train station. The meeting took place in a field, where the two engaged in various sexual acts that lasted for approximately four hours. The court was told that Molloy’s actions were discovered after his girlfriend found an image of the girl on his computer, prompting her to report him to the police.

Further revelations emerged when the girl later confided in a teacher about her online relationship. She admitted that she had met Molloy and that they had engaged in nearly everything but sexual intercourse in his Ford Mondeo. The case also involved the possession of indecent images; Molloy was found to have 14 such images of the girl, all of which she had sent to him.

During the trial, Molloy’s defense attorney, Michael Davis, argued that his client was not actively seeking out underage girls on the internet and believed the girl was of legal age. Davis emphasized that Molloy had not been involved in browsing paedophile websites, which are accessible online, and that the images he possessed were of the girl herself.

However, Judge Michael Heath was unequivocal in his judgment, stating that Molloy’s actions warranted a prison sentence. He remarked, “You knew her age and you still made that long journey from your home to Lincoln knowing that she was a schoolgirl of 14 and you were a man of 34.”

Lincolnshire Police’s DCI Glen Harris, who heads the public protection unit, issued a warning to parents about the risks posed by the internet. He stressed the importance of vigilance, urging parents to implement parental controls on computers and regularly review their children’s internet histories to prevent similar incidents from occurring. The case serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers lurking online and the importance of safeguarding young people from exploitation.