LEAH CORDICE FROM WINDSOR SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES INVOLVING A 13-YEAR-OLD BOY

In September 2020, Leah Cordice, a 20-year-old woman from Windsor, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after being convicted of engaging in sexual activities with a minor and subsequently giving birth to his child. The case revealed a disturbing pattern of grooming and deception that spanned over several years, involving a young boy who was only 13 at the time of the offenses.

According to court proceedings, the incident began in January 2017, following a night of heavy drinking. It was during this time that Cordice, who was married at the time, approached the boy in his home. She allegedly pulled down his trousers and initiated sexual contact, an act that she kept hidden from her husband. The relationship between the two was characterized by Cordice sending flirtatious messages, complimenting the boy, and buying him small gifts such as fish and chips, which appeared to be part of her grooming strategy.

Despite her claims during the trial that she had been raped by the boy, the jury at Reading Crown Court rejected her version of events. Instead, they found her guilty of having sexual relations with the victim on at least five separate occasions. Judge Peter Clarke QC expressed skepticism about her defense, stating, “Cordice asserted that she had been raped by the victim on multiple occasions. I had and have difficulty with that assessment. I heard no indication from either Cordice or the victim that she held him in any particular affection; the evidence from at least one witness pointed to physical obsession and self-indulgence rather than emotional attachment.”

Both the victim and Cordice had known each other for many years, residing in the same area of Windsor. Prosecutors highlighted that their relationship was not a sudden or impulsive act but rather a grooming process that developed over time. The young boy, in a victim impact statement, shared the emotional toll the ordeal had taken on him. He revealed that he had been diagnosed with separation anxiety by a psychologist, a consequence of having his child taken away by social services. The boy expressed feelings of loss and hope for future reconciliation with his daughter, stating, “I cannot see my child and have not had any involvement with her recently. Seeing my daughter and then having her taken out of my life was very hard to cope with. It feels like I was punished for what I have been through. I hope in the future I can move on from this and have a relationship with my daughter.”

He also conveyed concern for Cordice’s well-being, saying, “If she does go to prison for what she has done, I hope it is not for a long time. I hope Leah has involvement in her daughter’s life.” The boy’s mother echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the tragedy of a young boy becoming a father and the impact of losing contact with his child. She stated, “He was so young to become a father, but when he started having contact with his daughter it went very well. He has not done anything wrong, but she has also been taken away from him.”

During the trial, police interviews with the boy detailed how the abuse began with Cordice hugging and kissing him before escalating to sexual acts. The court also heard that Cordice groomed the boy by sending him flattering texts, calling him “cute,” and providing money for small treats like fish and chips. In March 2017, police interviewed the boy after a friend of Cordice’s sent an email to her workplace, the nursery where she was employed, attempting to expose the affair. Cordice dismissed the allegation as malicious, and her friend received a harassment warning and a police penalty notice for wasting police resources.

Further investigations led to Cordice’s arrest in July 2018 at her Windsor home, following a complaint from the boy’s mother. During police interviews, Cordice denied any sexual contact, claiming that the boy had a crush on her and that he had made inappropriate advances. However, DNA testing proved otherwise, indicating with a probability of 14 million to one that the boy was the father of her child. At the time, Cordice was living with her husband, an apprentice mechanic, who believed he was the father and had been raising the child as his own.

Her husband described the emotional devastation following the DNA results, saying, “There was an argument straight after the DNA test. I was bawling my eyes out. Honestly, if you want to talk about being traumatised, that traumatised me. I had a secure job, I had a nice place, I had a good relationship. I had an amazing life. Everything was going so well and all of a sudden everything got taken away from me: my child, my wife, home, job. I have trust issues now. I am worried about my relationships in the future. Next time I have a child with another person, I am going to have to say, ‘can I have a DNA test please’.”

Leah Cordice faced a two-week trial at Reading Crown Court, where she was convicted of a count involving multiple incidents of sexual activity with a child, occurring when she was 17. The court heard that her actions included grooming the boy through affectionate gestures and inappropriate remarks, culminating in sexual acts. The jury was informed that she denied the allegations but was ultimately found guilty. The judge sentenced her to 30 months in a Young Offenders’ Institution and imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years. Additionally, she was ordered to register as a sex offender, reflecting the severity of her crimes and the need for ongoing monitoring.