‘Sexual predator’, 20, sent to youth detention for three years

Ben Peter Le Noury, 20, pictured, admitted having sex with an underage girl on multiple occasions. He took photographs and videos of the couple engaging in sexual activity, including one in a public place, and sent some of them to the girl.

He pleaded guilty to a total of 10 charges, including three counts of sexual touching, and one of engaging in sexual activity. Three matters of making indecent images of a child consisted of images he took of the two, and three of distributing them related to those he sent to her at what he said was her request.

‘This was clear sexual exploitation of a child by an older adult and hardly a one-off,’ said Lt-Bailiff Russell Finch, in passing sentence.

Prosecuting Advocate Jenny McVeigh told the court that in May, a female police officer had seen the defendant with the girl, who she thought was aged about 13, on four occasions. At one time they were holding hands and on another they were kissing. The officer made a statement and the defendant was arrested. He had two mobile phones, which were seized.

In interview, he admitted knowing the girl but denied a sexual relationship. The girl would only say that the two would go for walks together. She admitted kissing him once, but said she did not know why.

Le Noury was interviewed again after evidence from one of his mobile phones had been recovered. He said he knew the girl was under-age, confirmed they had a relationship, and admitted having sex with her on multiple occasions.

Indecent images of children are graded on a C to A ascending scale in terms of their seriousness. He admitted making 80, 79, and 30 images respectively, of which he forwarded 68 to the girl at her request.

Le Noury had been in custody since he first appeared in court in June.

Defending, Advocate Alan Merrien said his client had provided police with the pin number to his mobile phones, which was where all of the evidence had come from.

The girl had said nothing. Once police had examined his phone he accepted the relationship and made full and frank admissions.

The case had not involved violence, threats or coercion and it was not part of any revenge plan, he said.

Le Noury accepted it had been an entirely inappropriate relationship and that he had let his family down.

Mr Finch said the offences had come to light due to the sharp-eyed observations of a police officer.

While the girl had been a willing participant there was a great disparity in their ages.

The need to protect the young and immature from older predatory people had been long recognised, he said.

The Probation Service found the defendant to present an ongoing risk to children under the age of 16 and at a high risk of re-offending.

The defendant had nothing of a similar nature on his record, though he had been convicted of riding a scooter while over the alcohol limit and without a licence.

Two of the charges attracted prison sentences of three years’ youth detention and the others were less.

All sentences were to run concurrent.

Le Noury will be subject to an extended period of supervision, with conditions, for five years from his release, and notification requirements for 10 years.