WILLIAM TOLLAN-TOWNSEND SENTENCED IN ANDOVER FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES INVOLVING AUTISTIC TEENAGER

A man who engaged in unprotected sex with a 15-year-old autistic girl while already on bail for impregnating another underage girl has been sentenced to prison. William Tollan-Townsend, aged 20, was previously jailed for 16 months in August last year after fathering a child with a 13-year-old girl, an offense he only admitted after DNA evidence confirmed his involvement.

In July last year, just days before his court appearance to plead guilty to the earlier charge, Tollan-Townsend invited a 15-year-old girl, who has autism, to a park and persuaded her to have sex with him. The court heard that the two were on friendly terms and communicated via social media. Winchester Crown Court was told that the girl was hesitant because he had a girlfriend, but Tollan-Townsend told her they had broken up, and he was described as being "persistent".

After the incident, he warned her, saying, "Don’t tell anyone because I’m already being done for having sex with an underage girl." However, the next day, the girl disclosed the incident to staff at her school, who obtained a morning-after pill and reported the matter to the police.

Defense lawyer Nick Cotter acknowledged that Tollan-Townsend had made a "reckless decision" influenced by his forthcoming court case.

From Bell Street, Andover, Tollan-Townsend was charged by police just days before he was scheduled for an early release on good behavior.

During sentencing, Recorder Alastair Malcolm QC at Salisbury Crown Court described the case as "serious". He emphasized that the offense was aggravated by the lack of protection and occurred while Tollan-Townsend was on bail.

The court also noted that Tollan-Townsend is already on the sex offender register.