'It's an insult’: Mother's fury as man who had sex with her underage daughter handed £700 fine
The mother of a 15-year-old girl who was pressured into sex with an older chef has branded his £700 fine “an insult”.
Jack Cross, 19, admitted begging the schoolgirl to meet him after connecting on social media in 2017, before the pair had unprotected sex on two occasions.
Cross was caught after the girl’s teacher heard rumours that she might be pregnant and questioned her.
He was arrested and he admitted three charges of sexual activity with a child at Warwick Crown Court this week.
The girl’s stepfather stormed out of the court after Cross was spared jail and handed a 12-month community order.
Cross was also ordered to do 80 hours unpaid work and ordered to register as a sex offender for five years.
The maximum sentence for sexual activity with a child is 14 years in jail, according to the Sentencing Council.
The judge offered to order Cross, of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, to pay the victim £700 compensation but her mother refused, branding it “an insult”.
Instead, Cross was ordered to pay £700 court costs.
In a victim impact statement, the court heard the girl suffered flashbacks and felt suicidal.
Peter Cooper, prosecutor, said that in 2017 Cross and the girl had arranged to meet after chatting on social media.
Cross then began continually asking her for sex, despite knowing she was only 15, “and in the end she agreed”.
When he was arrested Cross claimed that on the first occasion the girl had instigated sex.
Amy Jackson, defending, said: “He accepts he had come to realise before the sexual activity occurred that she was under 16.
“He accepts this was an illegal activity...
“He accepts he repeatedly asked, but did not at any stage intend to force her to do something she didn’t want to do.”
An NSPCC spokesperson told Yahoo News UK: “This case is a stark reminder of the impact that these appalling offences can have on victims. Abuse not only destroys childhoods, but can also have a lasting impact into adulthood.
“It is vital that the girl receives all of the help and support she needs to come to terms with what has happened to her.”
