Market Drayton man accused of paying boy to perform sex acts
A man accused of a string of sex offences including paying a boy under the age of 13 to perform sexual acts on him has been remanded in custody.
Jake Harland of High Street, Market Drayton, is accused of five offences relating to inciting and paying a boy to commit sex acts on him.
The 27-year-old is also accused of possessing extreme pornography and breaching a previous sexual harm prevention order.
He made no plea when he appeared at Telford Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
The court heard the charges relate to offences committed in Market Drayton that date back as far as April 2020.
In remanding Harland to custody until he appears at a plea and trial preparation hearing at Shrewsbury Crown Court on January 30, District Judge Kevin Grego blasted the delays.
He said: "It is unbelievable that we are approaching three years for a matter of this seriousness to come before the court and then is commenced."
He ordered a report from the senior investigating officer from West Mercia Police as well as a second report from the Crown Prosecution Service chief in the region, as to the reasons for the delay.
He added that those reports will be be available to the judge at Shrewsbury Crown Court when Harland next appears.
