ROGER TAYLOR FROM WISBECH SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES IN NORWICH

In October 2004, a disturbing case unfolded involving Roger Taylor, a 39-year-old man from Wisbech, Cambs, who was convicted of engaging in unlawful sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl. The incident, which took place in December 2003, came to light after the girl’s mother discovered a series of explicit text messages exchanged between her daughter and Taylor, leading to his arrest and subsequent trial.

During the trial at Norwich Crown Court, Taylor was found guilty of two serious charges: unlawful sexual activity and gross indecency with a girl under the age of 16. The court heard that Taylor, a charity worker associated with the conservation organization Buglife in Peterborough, had groomed the young girl through persistent messaging, ultimately persuading her to engage in sexual acts. The girl was just six weeks shy of her sixteenth birthday at the time of the incident.

In his defense, Taylor’s lawyer, William Carter, emphasized that his client was a responsible individual who led a respectable life and was considered a good father by those around him. The defense argued that the incident was a one-time lapse and that there was no risk of recurrence. They also pointed out that Taylor’s employment with the charity was not affected by the allegations.

However, Judge Nicholas Coleman was unequivocal in his assessment. He stated that there was clear evidence of grooming, noting that Taylor had used his persistent overtures to persuade the girl into sexual activity. The judge acknowledged that the girl was nearly 16 and appeared to have been consenting, but emphasized that her consent was influenced by Taylor’s repeated advances. Judge Coleman dismissed the defense’s claim that the texts were merely provocative banter, citing the hundreds of messages exchanged as evidence of a pattern of grooming behavior.

As a result, Taylor was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison for unlawful sex and an additional two years for gross indecency, with both sentences to run concurrently. Furthermore, he was placed on the sex offenders register for a period of ten years. Despite the serious nature of the offenses, Taylor was not prohibited from working with children, as the court accepted the argument that this was an isolated incident and did not warrant such restrictions.