Soldier had ‘sex activity’ with an underage girl
JON MACPHERSON
ASERVING soldier who had sexual activity with an underage girl has been ordered to sign the sex offenders register for five years.
Joshua McQuilto-Morgan, of Ruskin Avenue, Oswaldtwistle, spoke with the victim on social media and sent her a picture of his private parts before arranging to meet up with her, a court heard.
The defendant met up with the victim and kissed her and ‘ put his hands down the back of her trousers’, the hearing was told.
McQuilto-Morgan, 19, pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child and was given a 12-month community order with a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for five years.
Emma Kehoe, prosecuting, told the court how McQuilto-Morgan and the victim had ‘got on very well’ when they first met and exchanged social media contacts.
She said: “They began to chat over that website in the days leading up to the when they met again.”
The court heard that McQuilto-Morgan said he would ‘bring condoms’ and also asked her if he could perform a sex act on her
Miss Kehoe said the vic- tim was ‘flattered by his suggestions although adamant that it wasn’t going to happen’.
She said: “He told her that he really liked her and potentially could see a future together between the two of them even though he knew [how old she was].
“He also asked her if she would send him nude photographs of herself.
“While she declined, he did in fact send her a photograph of his naked genitalia.”
The court was told that when McQuilto-Morgan later met up with the victim
Miss Kehoe said: “He kissed her which she didn’t object to and then put his hands down the back of her trousers. At that point she pushed him away and went home.
“She made it clear that was not what she wanted to happen.”
The prosecutor said the victim didn’t report the incident for several days but then ‘eventually broke down’ and, after telling her mother, it was reported to the police.
The court heard that McQuilto-Morgan made ‘admissions’ during his interview, but then later ‘didn’t accept that the admissions had been made’.
Miss Kehoe said the underage girl did not want to provide a victim impact statement to the court sentencing hearing and ‘wants to put the matter behind her and move on’.
Philip Holden, defending, told the court that McQuilto-Morgan was a machine gunner and had joined the army aged 16.
He told the court that he had not yet served overseas but said ‘anticipated if the army keep him on then in all likelihood he will be sent to serve abroad’.
Mr Holden said the defendant was a ‘ young man who needs to grow up’ and is ‘very young and immature for his age’.
Sentencing, Judge Beverley Lunt said McQuiltoMorgan knew the victim was underage, ‘didn’t behave appropriately’ and that it was a ‘sequence of appallingly poor judgement’.