Newton Aycliffe man groomed young girl into sex acts

Joss Hellem, 23, sent shocking “sexts” to the girl, who has a legal right to anonymity and pressured her into sex acts.

After grooming her he made her send naked pictures when he threatened to leave her, which he saved on his phone.

His offending came to light when he blocked her on social media, and she told her mum what had happened.

He showed no emotion as he was sent down for six years and eight months at Durham Crown Court on Monday (September 16).

Prosecutor Mr Christopher Baker said: “She [the victim] described how she started flirting with him on the messages and he had initially responded saying that she was too young and that they would get caught.

“His [decision] changed, and he made it clear that nobody could find out about the relationship.”

The court was told Hellem, of Secker Place, Newton Aycliffe would exchange “sexts” with the young girl, telling her what he would do with his ex-girlfriend, asking her about her “kinks”, and saying “he wanted to go all the way”.

He then said he was going to call off the relationship but suggested she should send him naked pictures which she did “because she didn’t want to lose him”.

Joss Hellem, 23. (Image: DURHAM CONSTABULARY)

“He would continue to pressure her”, Mr Baker said. “She would later ask her mother if she could start taking contraception.”

After other meetings he blocked the girl on social media and she, upset, told her mum what had happened.

Hellem, who appeared in the dock wearing a light blue t-shirt and grey zippy tracksuit, was arrested and admitted his offending in police interviews.

Judge Adams said Hellem had been “quite clearly trying to pressure her” into sex acts.

“You decided to undertake sexual activity within the first few months of this year. She was a vulnerable young girl,” he said.

Hellem had claimed during probation interviews he had “caved” to the girl’s “pressure” and “flirting”.

“I thoroughly reject that as being what happened”, the judge continued.

“You were the adult; she was just a young child.

“You clearly saw [it] to be some sort of relationship.”

Durham Crown Court. (Image: The Northern Echo)

In a police interview the groomed youngster said “she liked talking to him”

Hellem admitted six counts of sexual activity with a child, two each of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and meeting a child following sexual grooming, plus one of engaging in sexual communication with a child, all between December 2023 and April this year, at an earlier hearing.

In a victim impact statement summarised in court the girl said she had been left “confused about his motives”.

She added that she had had to have conversations with her mum that no teenage girl should have to have.

Mitigating Ellen Wright said: “He doesn’t ask me to stand here to make excuses for what he has done.

“He does regret what he has done – that isn’t just because he’s found himself here today. He’s ashamed, embarrassed and truly, truly remorseful.

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Perhaps his only significant mitigation is his early guilty pleas. The defence would ask that he be afforded credit for those guilty pleas. He made full admissions in his police interview.

“He’s a man of previous good character.”

Hellem nodded as Judge Adams also told him he would have to sign the sex offenders’ register for life and imposed a 20-year sexual harm prevention order and life-long restraining order not to approach his victim or her mum.

He will serve half of his 80-month sentence before being eligible for release on parole.