MICHAEL SLATER SENTENCED IN SOUTHAMPTON COURT FOR GROOMING AND ABUSE
Michael Slater groomed a vulnerable young victim, making her feel disgusted at herself, a court heard.Prosecution barrister Catherine Donnelly explained how the teenage girl now feels anxious around older men.
During a victim personal statement read aloud in court, she said, "I hope one day I get over the disgust I have in myself." The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, described how Slater’s abuse and the subsequent fallout have affected her relationships, likening the impact to having "one of her arms chopped off." Slater, aged 37 and from the Compass, appeared before Southampton Crown Court charged with two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
He pleaded guilty to one charge but denied the other.
However, after a trial earlier this year, he was found guilty.
Ms.
Donnelly revealed that Slater has a criminal record with 12 previous convictions for offenses including dishonesty, criminal damage, and being drunk and disorderly, but he has no prior convictions related to sexual offenses.
Defence solicitor Alejandra Tascon explained that her client suffers from ADHD, emotionally unstable personality disorder, and sexual dysfunction issues.
She also stated that Slater had been drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis at the time of the offenses and expressed that he "should have known better." Additionally, she highlighted that Slater had endured sexual and physical abuse from a young age.
Regarding the incidents that took place between March 2020 and January 2021, Judge Nicholas Rowland sentenced Slater to a total of five years in prison.
He is also required to register as a sex offender for life and was issued a ten-year sexual harm prevention order.
Furthermore, Slater has been granted a five-year restraining order preventing him from contacting his victim.
