Bury pervert booked taxi for girl to go to hotel to have sex with him

Ashley Mason, of Chesham Road, Bury, starting chatting with a 14-year-old girl online in November 2020 even though she clearly made her age known to him.

Prosecutor Simon Blakebrough told Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court that Mason, then aged 23, first said to the girl that he was aged 16.

Their relationship started on good terms but Mason began sending sexual messages and asked the girl, described as being "vulnerable" to send explicit pictures of herself.

Mr Blakebrough said Mason, who sent presents such as designer jewellery to her, repeatedly asked for more pictures and threatened to share the ones he had already received if she refused.

On one occasion, he also sent a picture of himself carrying out a sex act.

In late November 2020, Mason messaged the girl to say he was in a hotel near where she lived in Staffordshire and told her to get into a taxi he had ordered and that they would be having sex.

But despite him sending two taxis, the court heard her family managed to prevent her from leaving her home.

Mason was reported to the police but continued to send messages to the girl.

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Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court (Image: Public)

Greater Manchester Police got involved in the investigation and managed to identify Mason.

He was arrested in February 2021 and at first he denied telling her he was 16 before admitting he lied.

He was later charged and pleaded guilty to attempting to meet with a child following sexual grooming and engaging with sexual communication with a child.

A victim impact statement provided by the girl said her relationship with Mason was "great" at first and she was told by him they would "last forever".

But he made her "feel guilty" by not sending pictures of herself to him.

She said she "used to be confident" before Mason came into his life and has suffered with her mental health since.

The victim was also struggling with coping with her parents splitting up at the time Mason contacted her.

The court heard the defendant had no previous convictions.

Defending, Keith Jones, said Mason had an inferior maturity and did not think about the consequences of his actions

He has recently been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and has harmed himself.

But Mr Jones said he has turned his life around since his offending, is in "stable employment", has a partner and is set to be a dad.

Judge Angela Nield considered his situation but concluded only an immediate prison sentence was appropriate.

Mason, now aged 25, was sentenced for two years and three months, half of which will be served on licence.

Judge Nield told him: "I am satisfied that you present a risk of sexual harm."

He has been ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and is subject to a sexual harm prevention order for that length of time too.

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