- Child groomer Ryan Kirk, 25, spent six months grooming his 15-year-old victim
- He admitted three counts of sexual activity with a child after changing his plea
- Victim was praised for coming forward by a South Yorkshire Police constable
Child groomer Ryan Kirk, 25, spent six months coercing his 15-year-old victim on Facebook
A paedophile who claimed he was ‘too pretty to go to prison’ has been jailed for four years after trying to groom a 15-year-old for sex over Facebook.
Ryan Kirk, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, admitted three counts of sexual activity with a child, but only after changing his plea four days into a five-day trial.
The 25-year-old was also found guilty at Sheffield Crown Court of one count of grooming, which he had denied.
DC Lee Corker, of South Yorkshire Police, praised the young victim’s courage in coming forward and said he hoped the result would give others in her position the confidence to report crimes to police.
He said: ‘Over six months, Kirk groomed a 15-year-old girl, coercing her into sexual activity with him for his own perverse gains.
‘Kirk was 22-years-old at the time of his offending, and knew full well the girl was only 15, having befriended her initially on Facebook and stating he was 19.
‘He tried to coax her into a sexual relationship, saying he wanted more from her and by making reference to her age, claiming if she was older it would be more, and by picking her up in his car, driving to secluded locations to make further advances and deviously attempt to influence her.
‘He completely took advantage of a young girl and exploited her, to satisfy his own sick and twisted need for control and power.
‘When he became aware the police were involved, he begged her to not say what had really happened, claiming he was too pretty to go prison and telling her what she should say, then checking in with her again after she had spoken to police.’