Woman, 26, groomed a vulnerable boy for sex
She sent love letters and took him to hotel for night
AWOMAN who groomed a vulnerable boy for sex has been jailed for six years. Laura Bardsley, of Reddish, sent the victim love letters and even took him to a hotel for a night.
The incident began in June last year when Bardsley started online communication with the boy knowing he had a number of ‘complex vulnerabilities and needs’, police said.
The communication became sexual and she then invited the child into the home that she shared with her adult partner and two young children.
Bardsley, 26, pretended to be a positive influence on the child during lockdown.
But she was secretly grooming him and eventually began a sexual relationship with him without the knowledge of anyone else, Greater Manchester police said.
AMUM-OF-TWO who groomed a vulnerable boy for sex has been jailed for six years.
Laura Bardsley, of Reddish, sent the victim love letters and even took him to a hotel for a night, Greater Manchester Police said.
The incident began in June last year when Bardsley started online communication with the boy knowing he had a number of ‘complex vulnerabilities and needs’, police said. The communication became sexual and she then invited the child into the home that she shared with her adult partner and two young children.
Bardsley, 26, pretended to be a positive influence on the child during lockdown.
But she was secretly grooming him and eventually began a sexual relationship with him without the knowledge of anyone else, police said.
The love letters were found by the child’s mother and Bardsley was arrested.
Bardsley pleaded guilty to two counts of non-penetrative sexual activity with a child; two counts of penetrative sexual activity with a child; harassment of a child and using an illicit mobile phone in prison.
She was jailed for six years at Minshull Street Crown Court and received a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be required to sign the Sex Offender Register for life.
Detective Mike Allen, of Greater Manchester Police’s Complex Safeguarding Team, said: “Child sexual exploitation takes many forms.
“I’d like to pay tribute to the victim and his family for having the bravery to report this matter and have the willingness to give evidence even if it had gone to a trial and being prepared to face the offender.
“I hope this result has repaid their confidence placed in the authorities and provides them with some justice when coming to terms with these horrible crimes.
“I encourage young people who are - or anyone else who suspects a young person is - being inappropriately contacted by an adult via the internet, in person or any other channel to report it to an appropriate adult or agency, whether that is a parent, carer, teacher or the police.
“Ensuring that victims are safeguarded and offenders face justice are our highest priorities.”
“I hope today’s sentence serves as a warning to offenders, deterring them from communicating with a child to satisfy their sexual desires.”
He continued: “As this case demonstrates, being convicted of doing so can result in a prison sentence.”