PAUL ROUND FROM NUNEATON JAILED FOR GROOMING DERBY TEENAGERS

In January 2009, a disturbing case unfolded involving Paul Round, a man from Nuneaton, who was convicted of engaging in sexual activities with two teenage girls from Derby. The police revealed that Round had been actively communicating with multiple girls in Derby through the social networking platform Faceparty, where he used the username 'Lovely Chap' and falsely claimed to be in his late 30s.

Round's interactions with the girls escalated to the point where he paid them for sexual acts, having met them outside a leisure centre in Derby. The court heard that he was aware of their age—both girls being only 15—yet he continued to pursue and exploit them. Evidence presented during the trial indicated that Round had met the girls approximately eight times, during which he provided them with money and alcoholic beverages, notably Malibu.

On one occasion, he paid each girl £20 to perform a sexual act, and he also showed them pornographic magazines, asking them to strip. In another instance, he paid each girl £120 for sex. One of the victims disclosed to police that it was her first experience of sexual intercourse, highlighting the severity of the exploitation.

Police investigations into Round's activities began when they uncovered his online communications during an unrelated case involving Faceparty. The authorities arrested him at his residence in November 2006. Due to a serious road accident in March 2007, his trial was delayed until December of the following year. When he finally appeared in court, Round pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of sexual grooming, four charges of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, and two offences involving sexual activity with a child involving penetration. These offences occurred between July and October 2006.

Detective Constable Richard Taylor, who led the investigation, described Round as one of the most manipulative and calculating offenders he had encountered in his 24 years with the police. He emphasized that Round was aware of what he was doing and had been in contact with other girls across Derby and neighboring counties. Police also found evidence that Round encouraged the girls to bring friends to meet him.

During the trial, the defense attorney, Simon Ward, argued that there was no child pornography on Round's computer and claimed that his client did not coerce the girls, asserting that Round did not force them to do anything they did not want to do. However, Judge Andrew Hamilton sentenced Round to four years in prison, condemning his actions as entirely wrong and disgraceful, especially given the girls' young age and vulnerability.

Overall, the case highlights the dangers of online grooming and the importance of vigilance in protecting minors from exploitation, with the court making it clear that such conduct is utterly unacceptable and will be met with severe punishment.