Mechanic who had sex with girl, 13, spared jail

Mar 18 2008 by Ben Guy, The Journal

A MECHANIC who had sex with a 13-year-old girl after taking her for a McDonald’s meal has escaped a jail sentence because of what a judge described yesterday as “exceptional circumstances”.

James William Glendinning, 22, from Priestlands Avenue, Hexham, Northumberland, was told by a judge at Chester Crown Court that it must “never happen again”, as he imposed a 12-month suspended sentence for two counts of engaging in sexual activity with the child.

The pair had met on internet social site Bebo, where the girl said she was a 17-year-old hairdresser.

They exchanged instant messages on the internet and phone texts to stay in contact, before first meeting up in Manchester on October 13 last year.

They then agreed to travel back to Newcastle together, but when they arrived she switched on her mobile phone and was bombarded with concerned messages from friends and family.

When Glendinning found out she was only 13 he insisted she contact both her parents and Cheshire police.

But the girl contacted Glendinning again and, on November 3, he responded to her texts and drove to Chester. They ate and then drove to an abandoned supermarket, where they had sex in his car.

Peter Frost, prosecuting, said: “He makes no bones of the fact he knew precisely how old she was. The police only know about it because the defendant was so frank.”

James Cullen, defending, described what had happened as a “reversal of roles”. He said: “This is a young child who was clearly much more mature than her age. He was very easily led and very immature himself.”

Recorder of Chester Judge Elgan Edwards said: “I am taking a quite exceptional course because of the quite exceptional circumstances of this case and that you started off genuinely believing this girl was 17.” But he added it was a “serious matter” and said: “13-year-old girls have to be protected from themselves.”

Glendinning also received a supervision order and must attend the national sex offenders treatment programme.