Sex offender who groomed three underage schoolgirls jailed for more than three years

A sex offender who groomed three underage schoolgirls to satisfy his perverted desires has been jailed for more than three years.

Neil Davie, 43, befriended the vulnerable girls, then sexually assaulted them, tried to coax them into sexual acts and offered one money to strip for him.

The girls, who cannot be named for legal reasons, resisted his advances, Teesside Crown Court heard today.

A judge, Recorder Eric Elliott QC, told Davie: “You in my view deliberately targeted each of those girls, indeed groomed them to gratify your sexual desires.

“Over a period of one year you carried out these offences.

“When each of the girls at various stages indicated that they objected to the various types of behaviour you were indulging in, you pretended it was just a joke.”

He befriended one of the girls on the internet via social media and, in his most serious offence, tried to persuade her to take part in a sexual act. She objected and refused and no sexual activity took place, the court was told.

This crime earned Davie a 32-month prison sentence alone - the majority of his jail term.

He touched her, asked her to touch him, asked her to send him a photograph of herself in her underwear, and cuddled her to make his activity appear innocent. “Clearly it wasn’t,” said the judge.

Davie suggested to another girl that he buy her a thong for her to pose in it for him.

He asked one of the girls to make “sexual noises”, kiss him and wear short skirts and dresses.

He sexually assaulted the girls by smacking their bottoms over their clothing. When told to stop, he said it was only a joke.

He offered one of the girls money to strip naked, but she refused.

Prosecutor Sarah Mallett said Davie was confronted on social media, told his actions were “disgusting” and warned to stay away.

He replied: “I apologise. It was only meant as a joke. I have a weird humour.” The police were called the same day.

Davie, of Cleveland Street, Guisborough, admitted a total of 14 sexual offences. They were six counts of sexual assault, five or causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two of attempting to pay a child for sexual services and one of possessing an indecent photograph of a child.

To police and even to a probation officer after guilty pleas, he maintained he regarded it as a joke.

In the courtroom facing prison, however, he appeared to realise the seriousness of his crimes.

Andrew White, defending, said: “He is remorseful about what’s happened and, through me, he wishes to apologise sincerely to these girls and their families.

“It’s clear he was extremely distressed when these matters were put to him in the police station. He was in tears.

“He does recognise the magnitude of this. He also recognises that he has a problem in relation to young girls, and he realises that this a problem that needs addressing.”

Mr White said the warehouseman had no previous convictions and worked hard all his life.

He said Davie had diabetes and had suffered a stroke and would be vulnerable in prison because of his “small stature” and risk of self harm. He argued prison would expose Davie to “malign influences” from more experienced sex offenders, and a suspended sentence with a treatment programme would better serve the public.

The judge passed a series of immediate prison sentences totalling three years and eight months.

Davie was given a sexual offences prevention order and will be on the sex offenders’ register, both indefinitely, and will be banned from working with children and vulnerable adults.