NEVILLE SOKHELA CAUGHT IN LEAMINGTON SEX OFFENSE WITH 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL

In a disturbing case that unfolded in Leamington, Neville Sokhela, a 32-year-old man residing on Tachbrook Street, was found guilty of engaging in inappropriate conduct with a young girl and was subsequently sentenced to prison. The incident came to light after the girl’s father, concerned about her whereabouts, took it upon himself to search for her when she went missing from their home.

According to reports, in December of the previous year, the girl’s father initially believed she was outside their residence. However, upon his departure, he discovered she was no longer there. He was informed that she had gone to visit her grandmother, but when he checked, she was not present. During his inquiries, a friend of the girl mentioned that she was meeting a man, which prompted him to search for her more diligently.

His search led him to a scene where he saw his daughter leaning into a car, engaged in conversation with a man later identified as Neville Sokhela. When he approached her and questioned her about her whereabouts, she denied knowing Sokhela. The father then confronted Sokhela at the vehicle, who claimed to be merely a friend of the girl. However, Sokhela’s account of their relationship was inconsistent, raising suspicions.

During police investigations, Sokhela admitted that he had initially met the girl through social media and believed her to be 16 or 17 years old. He stated that they had met in person and that they had shared kisses and cuddles, but he denied engaging in any sexual activity beyond that. He also claimed that any accidental touching was due to playful fighting rather than any sexual intent.

The case took a serious turn when it was revealed that Sokhela’s understanding of the girl’s age was based on her own statements, which he believed to be truthful at the time. However, after viewing a police interview recording of the girl, Sokhela’s legal representatives recognized that his assertion of her being 16 or 17 was incorrect. This realization played a significant role in his guilty plea.

At Warwick Crown Court, Judge Barry Berlin addressed the gravity of the situation, emphasizing that the victim was only 12 years old and that Sokhela, being in his 30s, was engaging in conduct that was clearly inappropriate and illegal. The judge pointed out that Sokhela’s thinking regarding the girl’s age was distorted, and he was attempting to shift blame onto her rather than accepting responsibility as an adult.

Prosecutor Sarah Allen outlined the sequence of events, highlighting that Sokhela’s actions constituted grooming and exploitation. The judge noted that Sokhela’s claims of being told she was 16 were false, and he was fully aware of her young age from the outset. Despite warnings from her mother, Sokhela dismissed concerns and continued his interactions with her, encouraging her to lie to her parents.

In his defense, Ian Speed, Sokhela’s solicitor, explained that the guilty plea was entered after reviewing the police interview footage, which clearly demonstrated that Sokhela’s belief that the girl was older was mistaken. Nevertheless, the court was unequivocal in its stance that any adult engaging in kissing and cuddling with a 12-year-old for sexual pleasure was committing a serious offense.

Judge Berlin sentenced Sokhela to three years and eight months in prison. Additionally, Sokhela was ordered to register as a sex offender for life, reflecting the severity of his actions. The judge condemned the grooming behavior and the significant age disparity, underscoring that Sokhela’s conduct was a grave violation of trust and the law. The court made it clear that regardless of what Sokhela was told, he knew or should have known that the girl was a child, and his actions had caused considerable harm.