July 2023

‘Model son’ sobs in court after being caught topless on back seat of car with schoolgirl

A man caught topless on the back seat of a car molesting a schoolgirl cried as his sordid ordeal was exposed to a court.

Jake Winn-Butler told police “I’m sorry, I’m going to get arrested, I’m going to lose my job, this is going to ruin my life” after he was found in the car with the 15-year-old girl.

Police became suspicious when they spotted the car with its lights on and noticed condensation on the vehicle’s windows. He later admitted kissing the girl in what he described as a ‘moment of madness’.

The 25-year-old – who has a first-class degree – ended up in court over his offending and was told he would not be jailed. It came after he admitted engaging in sexual activity with a child and possessing a single indecent image of a child.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how Winn-Butler arranged to meet the girl on September 4 last year. They got together at Calderstones Park after first talking on Snapchat.

Winn-Butler, of Forefield Lane, Crosby, was told the girl had turned 15 in February. Prosecutor Louise McCloskey said: “At around 9.30 in the evening officers on patrol in Calderstones Park observed a vehicle parked with its lights on.

“As they approached they could see condensation on the window. Inside was a male and female, later identified to be 15-years-old, in the rear seats.

“On closer observation the male, later identified to be this defendant, appeared to put his t-shirt on and climb into the driver’s seat. The female was holding a jacket over her chest and also climbed into the front passenger seat of the vehicle.

“They were both questioned and the defendant said they were just kissing, and doing nothing wrong.” The girl gave police a false date of birth but checks showed she was actually 15.

Winn-Butler became distressed and repeatedly told the officers “I’m sorry, I’m going to get arrested, I’m going to lose my job, this is going to ruin my life”. Officers spoke to the sex offender and his victim.

But Winn-Butler repeatedly went back to the car and said to the girl “I need to speak to you, I need to speak to you”. Her dad was called to the scene and took her home.

The girl’s parents agreed to hand over the victim’s phone so police could examine it. But they did not want to engage with the prosecution or provide a statement, the court was told.

Winn-Butler told police during interview that she had sent him a picture of her bare breasts, which officers recovered from his Snapchat account. Due to the girl’s age, it meant he was charged with possessing a category C indecent image of a child.

The defendant admitted he kissed the girl despite knowing her age but claimed it was a ‘moment of madness’. The girl had been ‘very forward’ with police and Winn-Butler had ‘relented’ and agreed to meet her, Ms McCloskey said.

He claimed he was now attracted to her and ‘would have stopped it if it went any further’.

Winn-Butler’s mum and dad, who sat in the public gallery, described him as a ‘model son’ who had ‘never given his mum or dad a day of trouble’.

Sentencing, Judge David Aubrey KC said the defendant had gone from ‘outgoing’ to ‘sitting in his room with the lights off crying, evening after evening’ since his arrest. The judge said: “You had contact with her via the Snapchat app.

“It may be that with respect to you joining that particular chat room, that was your first error. You are an intelligent person.

Winn-Butler was handed a 12-month community order, with a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement. He must sign the sex offenders register for five years.