peter willcox Child Sexual Abuser

December 2007 Man jailed over child sex charge A man who smuggled a 14-year-old girl out of Britain in his car boot after sexually grooming her has been jailed.

Peter Willcox, 49, of no fixed address, had admitted sexual activity with a child at a previous hearing at Canterbury Crown Court.

On Monday, he was given a jail sentence of three and a half years.

The court heard how he formed “a wholly inappropriate relationship” with the girl from the Thanet area over several years, culminating in him taking her out of the UK via Dover.

Willcox had started buying the girl cigarettes and credit for her mobile phone when she was 12, and the relationship continued even after police warned the girl’s parents, the court heard.

In July 2006, he smuggled her out through the ferry port in the boot of his car and drove to Greece.

The pair were spotted later in the month in the capital of Athens, and Willcox was arrested.

The court also heard the teenage girl, who is now 16 and cannot be named for legal reasons, became pregnant at the age of 14 while the pair were in Greece.

Willcox was charged and pleaded guilty to child abduction, and sentenced to two years in a Greek jail, of which he served half before being returned to the UK.

He was not dealt with in Greece for the sexual activity charge, which he admitted at Canterbury Crown Court in November, Cairns Nelson, prosecuting, said.

The court heard the girl had an abortion after finding out she was pregnant by Willcox.

DNA tests proved he was the father, Mr Nelson said.

The court heard that the girl was an “immature but willing participant” in the relationship.

Defending, Tanya Robinson, said her had client pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and expressed “genuine remorse”.

Judge Adele Williams also ordered Willcox to sign the sex offenders’ register.