Telford paedophile jailed after inviting underage girls into his bed
A paedophile from Telford has been jailed after he let two underage girls stay at his shared accommodation.
Shrewsbury Crown Court heard how on July 26 last year, Jamie Loveridge, 20, of Chiltern Gardens, Dawley, tried to get a 14-year-old to join him in his bed, but she refused.
Later that night Loveridge invited her 15-year-old friend to share his bed, before carrying out a sex act.
The girls had asked to stay at Loveridge’s after lying to their parents that they were having a sleepover.
The two girls were too scared to go home because of the consequences of telling their families about the abuse, so they stayed at Loveridge’s until the morning, the court heard.
Mr Glyn Samuel, prosecuting, told the court: “He said to her it would be better if she slept in his bed. She did this.
“Afterwards she got up and went to the toilet with her friend. They had no place to go so they just stayed there.”
The victim told her parents about the incident three days later. However, she gave the incorrect date, meaning Loveridge was able to give an alibi and evade being charged by police initially.
Phone records
But later the correct date was confirmed and police found phone records showing that the girls had been at his home on the day the offence took place.
Loveridge admitted sexual activity with a female child under 16 and breach of a sexual offences prevention order, relating to two previous convictions.
Mr Rob Edwards, defending, said Loveridge suffered sexual abuse as a child, and added that he now wanted to become a counsellor, helping victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse.
He said: “This is a case of the abused becoming the abuser. He had a difficult upbringing. He wants to become some form of counsellor. He needs to address the root cause of his offending.”
Judge Peter Barrie said: “This is the third time you’ve been brought before the courts for sexual offending towards children. You are only 20 years of age. That is a cause for great concern.”
He sentenced Loveridge to five years imprisonment – two in custody and three on licence. He also issued a 10-year restraining order to stop him from contacting his victim, and put him on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
