July 2022

Child rapist watched girl in the bath and ‘offered to clean her’

A child rapist who groomed a girl with sweets and cigarettes has been jailed for 14 years.

Brian Morton, from Halewood, turned his victim against her own family in order to manipulate her for his sick sexual urges – even telling her that her parents did not love her.

More than a decade later, the now 61-year-old attempted to groom another 14-year-old – although he was spared prison when he was caught out.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Friday, that he began grooming his first victim when she was 11. Morton also bought her mobile phone top-ups and took her for ride in his car, where he would sexually assault her.

The pervert would watch her while she bathed and “offer to clean her”. Then, when she was aged 15, he raped her while she was sleeping in the spare bedroom of his home.

His actions had a “severe psychological impact” on the girl, who turned to drug abuse in order to “self medicate” and “block out what happened to her”.

In 2018, Morton was convicted of engaging in sexual communications with a child after sending a string of sexually charged messages to another teen the previous year – grooming her “in similar terms to all those years ago”.

He again asked her to go out for drives in his car, while one text message he sent read “night night sexy bum”. The paedophile received a community order after she reported what had happened to her, admitting the offence but “denying a sexual interest in children”.

Morton, of Torrington Drive, was found guilty of two counts of rape after a trial. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool, he was also handed an indefinite restraining order and a lifelong notification requirement.

Judge Gary Woodhall described the “devastating impact” his crimes had had. He added: “You offered her treats she wasn’t getting at home, you bought her sweets and cigarettes, took her for rides in your car and bought credit for her mobile phone.

“You suggested her family did not love her. You told her you loved her, and that she was pretty. You told her you wished you could be with her. You would even wear aftershave is if to impress.

“It’s clear she was being groomed for some time prior to these rapes. You behaved as this was a normal, loving relationship when it was anything but. You knew she was someone who could not consent. She simply froze, and had to pretend it was not happening.

“She lived with the knowledge of what happened to her with feeling of self-loathing. She tried to block out what you did to her for years. She struggled to cope with the consequence of your offending. She has resorted to the use of drugs to self-medicate for her poor mental health and to escape.

“She is still struggling to process what happened.”

Referring to Morton’s conviction in 2017, Judge Woodhall said: “This is almost identical offending to the way you offended so many years previously. This demonstrates an established pattern of sexual interest in young girls and a willingness to act on those urges.”

Morton was also handed a restraining order, preventing him from contacting the victim and her family.