February 2019

Predatory paedophile sentenced

A predatory paedophile who followed a 14-year-old girl to school after grooming her over Facebook has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Alan Airey, 34, sent a series of sexual messages to the girl before tracking her down and walking behind her through a park as she made her way to classes

He was arrested after the victim arrived in a state of fear and told a teacher, who alerted police.

Chester Crown Court heard that police inquiries revealed the pair had been swapping messages until 1am on school nights.

One message read: ‘You will break a lot of hearts, you’re stunning and better looking than your mum. If I was 15 years younger, I would get with you.’

Another girl subsequently came forward to say she had been molested by Airey in unrelated circumstances.

Airey, of Runcorn in Cheshire, admitted sexual activity with a child and one count of sexual communications with a child.

He was also subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order banning him from working with children and was ordered to sign the Sexual Offenders Register indefinitely.

The incident occurred last December after Airey sent a friend request to the girl over the social media platform.

Prosecuting Miss Anna Price, said: ‘The girl accepted and she then started to receive messages from the defendant just asking how she was.

‘The following morning, she received a message asking her to meet him at a park she goes through on her way to school.

‘She blocked him but, when she was walking to school, she could hear the defendant following her, calling her name and she got scared.

‘When she got to school, she told a teacher what happened, and it was reported to the police.’

Airey later admitted sending messages to the girl but said he was drunk at the time.

In a statement, the youngster said: ‘When he started messaging me asking about me, I thought it was normal.

‘He kept me up until 1am talking to me on a school night. Then, the messages started to get more sexual.

‘I don’t feel safe anymore and I don’t feel like I can go out on my own anymore. But, I am so glad that I spoke to someone about it, so now it will stop him from doing it to another girl.

‘When he followed me in the park, it made me really scared and my heart was racing really fast.

‘I just don’t understand why he was messaging me when he knew how old I was.’

Airey had 49 previous offences on his record but none of a sexual nature.

Sentencing, Judge Simon Berkson said: ‘Both offences are so serious that only custody is appropriate.’