Great Yarmouth man jailed for child abduction & sexual activity with teenage girl
He's been sentenced to 21 months behind bars
Last updated 10th May 2021
A 30-year-old man who ignored a Child Abduction Warning Notice and later admitted abducting and having sexual activity with a teenage girl has been jailed for 21 months.
Laurence Murphy of Albert Square in Great Yarmouth was given a 21 months' custodial sentence at Norwich Crown Court on Friday (7 May 2021). He was also issued with a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
He had previously admitted one count of child abduction and one count of engaging in sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 in Great Yarmouth on 27 August 2020.
Murphy had previously been issued with a Child Abduction Warning Notice on 10 August 2020 relating to the same victim.
Friday's sentencing follows an incident in Great Yarmouth on 27 August 2020 when the victim's mother contacted police after she saw Murphy with her 14-year-old daughter outside a friend's house in the South Quay area of the town. She told police that Murphy had "ran off" when she approached her daughter.
A short while later, the mother saw Murphy and the victim sitting together outside the library in the town, and called police. When officers arrived, Murphy ran off again but was apprehended by officers and arrested on suspicion of child abduction.
During a search of the area officers found a mobile phone that contained messages between Murphy and the victim.
Detective Constable Thomas Cole said:
"Murphy is an adult who exploited a vulnerable teenager for his own purposes.
"We will always take robust action against those who choose to target, exploit and abuse vulnerable young people. One of the ways we can do that when there are genuine concerns about an individual we suspect of grooming a child or a young person is to issue them with a Child Abduction Warning Notice, as happened in this case. This is a formal warning from the police demanding they stay away from that young person or face arrest and prosecution.
"This sentence highlights our commitment to using this power whenever possible to protect our young people from individuals who show such blatant disregard for their safety and welfare. It also demonstrates the court's readiness to punish those who choose to ignore these warnings."