LAURA VICKERS FROM BURNLEY AND STOCKPORT SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT ON UNDERAGE GIRL

In a case that has drawn significant attention from the local community, 19-year-old Laura Vickers has been convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl she met through social media. The incident took place in Burnley, where the victim, whose identity is protected by law, initially made contact with Vickers via Facebook. According to court proceedings, it was the young girl who initiated the online communication, which eventually developed into a real-world relationship.

As their online exchanges grew more frequent, Vickers invited the underage girl to visit her at a friend’s house located in Burnley. The visit occurred in the period between May 1 and June 2 of the previous year. During this time, the two met in person in Burnley, and the girl was taken to a residence on Todmorden Road, where they stayed overnight in the games room of the house. It was during this overnight stay that the sexual assault took place, an act that was later uncovered by the girl’s mother.

The mother of the victim discovered the relationship and the incident, which led her to end all contact between her daughter and Vickers. The court heard that the mother disapproved of the relationship, especially given the girl’s young age and the fact that the relationship was still in its early stages. The incident was reported to authorities, prompting an investigation.

Prosecutor Paul Brookwell explained that the initial contact between Vickers and the girl began around March 2016 through social media messaging. The exchanges started as friendly and non-sexual but eventually escalated to in-person meetings. Vickers, who at the time was living in Manchester, traveled to Burnley for these meetings. The court also noted that Vickers has a prior conviction related to detaining a child, a 17-year-old girl, which involved unlawful control over a minor.

During the hearing, Vickers, formerly residing on Church Street in Burnley and now living at Mottram Towers in Stockport, pleaded guilty to a single count of sexual assault. The court sentenced her to a 12-month community order, which includes a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement and a ban from entering Burnley. Additionally, Vickers is required to register as a sex offender for five years and pay the statutory victim surcharge. The judge, Jonathan Gibson, emphasized the seriousness of the offense and the need for supervision and registration to protect the community from future harm.