Stockton rapist had sexual relationship with teenage girl

Ben Richardson adopted two undeclared online identities to contact the young girl before forming their illicit relationship.

The 24-year-old also failed to register his mobile phone, which he was using to contact the girl, with police, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Cainan Lonsdale, prosecuting, said Richardson was made subject to a life-long sexual harm prevention order after he was convicted of raping a young teenager in July 2017.

The court heard how police were contacted by the teenager in June this year as she was concerned about Richardson’s welfare.

“She is now 18 but when she was initially contacted by the defendant, she was 17,” he said.

“She told officers they had been in a sexual relationship and had been to his address every day for a month.

“She said he contacted her using the name Ben Richie on Facebook and they had begun speaking on Snapchat using the name LewieRichie24 which had not been registered with the police.

“He told her he had a previous conviction for drugs which was not true as he only had convictions for sexual offences.”

Mr Lonsdale said the police had become involved after Richardson was hospitalised after taking drugs while at a house where a young child was living.

Ben Richardson (Image: Cleveland Police)

Richardson, of Wren Close, Stockton, pleaded guilty to two breaches of his sexual harm prevention order and one charge of breaching the terms of his notification requirement following his arrest on June 26 this year.

Kelleigh Lodge, mitigating, said: “He fully accepts the offending, he shouldn’t have done it and he will learn from his mistakes to ensure he doesn’t do it again in the future.”

See more court stories from The Northern Echo by clicking here

• Mother-of-six who threw brick at police during riot branded 'truly disgraceful'
• Mother and daughter in court following widespread trouble in the region
• Inspectors slam County Durham prison as illicit drugs market and violence thrive

Get more from The Northern Echo with a digital subscription. To get access to our latest offer Click here.

Judge Jonathan Carroll branded Richardson as a continuing danger to young women and girls as he jailed him for 18 months.

He said: “The whole point of your offending is that you were sidestepping all of the protective measures that society expects to be put in place to control, manage your behaviour and protect, particularly, young women and girls.

“That was never your decision to make; it will never be your decision to make – you are too dangerous.

“It would seem that your extended licence period expired in February this year and by June of this year you were well entrenched in this relationship with this young lady and you had breached your sexual harm prevention order.”