A Farnley man who groomed and sexually exploited an underage teenage girl has been jailed for five years.
Shaun Hamilton, 34, of Whincover Gardens, Farnley, was charged in 2021 with six offences of being a person aged over 18 engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15.
He was found guilty of two offences on October 14 this year following a trial at Leeds Crown Court.
Today he was sentenced to five years imprisonment on one count and six months on the other, with both sentences to run concurrently.
He will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and was given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, with conditions to prevent any contact with the victim or any unsupervised person under 16.
When concerns were initially raised by social services, education and health services, the victim had felt unable to engage with police or partner agencies, but she later came forward to provide an account after she ceased contact with Hamilton.
Officers from Leeds District Safeguarding Unit launched a child sexual exploitation investigation and carried out extensive enquiries to build up a clear evidential picture of his offending against the girl that resulted in him being charged and convicted.
Detective Inspector Al Cheyne, of Leeds District Safeguarding Unit, said: “Hamilton sexually exploited this vulnerable young girl when he was an adult of more than twice her age and would have been very much aware of the offences he was committing against her.
“We hope it will provide some reassurance to the victim and her family to know that he has now been held accountable for his actions and sent to prison.
“Tackling child sexual exploitation, in all its forms, remains a top priority for West Yorkshire Police and we are committed to safeguarding children and young people and bringing those responsible to justice.
“We continue to work closely in partnership with local authorities and other partner agencies to identify those at risk and take appropriate action to protect them.
“We urge anyone who has been a victim of child sexual exploitation, or who has concerns about someone else, to come forward, either directly or through partner agencies, and know they will be listened to and supported while we work to make sure their abusers are held to account.”
