June 2020

Parents horrified by ‘vile’ paedophile who groomed girl, 12, in McDonald’s

People have been left horrified by a paedophile who “intimately kissed” a 12-year-old girl in McDonald’s before taking her to a hostel and molesting her.

Darren Jones-Bond, 33, was jailed for four years and nine months on Wednesday, after he sexually abused the young girl on February 11 this year

Liverpool Crown Court heard how the 33-year-old of Leyland Road, Southport, had spotted the child sitting alone on a bench near St John’s Precinct, in Liverpool city centre.

He took her to the restaurant, then to a room where he gave her alcohol, forced her onto a bed and abused her.

But an Uber delivery driver – who initially thought the girl must be Jones-Bond’s daughter – overheard the pervert in McDonald’s.

Police were alerted and went to the hostel, where they found the girl on a bed, with her top on back to front and trousers unzipped

Liverpool Crown Court heard aggressive Jones-Bond was arrested but brazenly claimed the girl had told him she was 24.

Passing sentence, Judge Anil Murray said Jones-Bond, who had a “bad record”, could see his victim was “clearly vulnerable” and the Uber driver thought she looked about 13.

He was ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders Register and comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely.

The twisted father – who has a daughter of his own – targeted his victim on Tuesday, February 11 this year.

The Uber driver saw the girl walk up to him at the restaurant in Blundell Street, in the Baltic Triangle, at around 11.30pm.

Martine Snowdon, prosecuting, said: “Initially he thought she must be his daughter, but then what he saw pass between them caused him concern.

“He saw the defendant kissing her intimately. He heard the defendant asking her what she was going to wear and telling her she smelt nice.

“She said she needed hair extensions and the defendant responded by saying that he would get her some.”

Police went to the McDonald’s and seized CCTV, from which they identified the girl, who had been reported missing by her parents before 9pm.

CCTV showed them earlier entering the Dolby Hotel in Chaloner Street at around 9.45pm, before leaving at 10pm.

It then picked them up at the Liverpool Albert Dock Youth Hostel, where they paid for a room at the reception at 10.14pm.

They went to the bar, where she took a bottle of alcohol from the shelf, and walked off to the room, then returned to the bar at 10.55pm, ordered drinks, asked where they could get food, and left at 11.09pm.

Footage showed them returning at 0.22am and leaving again about 10 minutes later, before returning at 1.09am.

When police went to the hotel they heard a male voice, before Jones-Bond answered the door after a delay.

Ms Snowdon said: “The bedding on the main bed was messy and there were two empty cider bottles and an empty vodka bottle in the room.”

She said Jones-Bond was aggressive and placed in handcuffs and the girl also had to be restrained as she tried to run off.

The victim said the incident “plays on her mind every day”, left her feeling vulnerable, upset and emotional, and she now fears going out on her own.

Jones-Bond, who sat with his head in his hands on a video link from HMP Leeds, admitted three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13.

He had denied any wrongdoing and was set to stand trial, but pleaded guilty before his victim gave evidence.

This was on the basis he didn’t know the girl before that day, didn’t recall telling her his age, but she told him she was 12.

His 28 past convictions for 39 offences – mainly for violence and driving matters – include a racially aggravated public order matter, but no sexual offences.

Judge Murray jailed Jones-Bond for four years and nine months.

He told him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register and comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely.