VULNERABLE | 

Paedo jailed for sexual activity and grooming child with learning difficulties

Bradley McGarrell was jailed for eight months and told that he would spend a further 16 months on supervised licence

Today at 21:32

A trainee mechanic who groomed a vulnerable girl for his own sexual gratification has been jailed.

Bradley Paul William McGarrell was jailed for eight months and told that he would spend a further 16 months on supervised licence.

The 20-year-old, of Doonbeg Drive, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, had pleaded guilty to charges of meeting a child following sexual grooming, sexual communication with a child and causing a child to watch sexual activity.

He further admitted four charges of sexual activity with a child.

Prosecuting barrister Kate McKay told Belfast Crown Court the defendant first made contact with the victim by sending “sexually explicit messages, pictures and videos” over Snapchat and Instagram and claimed to be aged 14.

The offences came to light on August 25, 2021, when the victim left her home around 3.30pm and went to an area known locally as ‘The Glenn’ in Newtownabbey where sexual activity occurred.

“The victim has been diagnosed with ADHD, Tourette’s Syndrome and modern learning difficulties. When she returned home she told her mother she had had sex with a boy named ‘Bradley’ who was around 14 years old.”

The prosecutor said the victim’s mother carried out her own research on social media and located the defendant and the 13-year-old confirmed that this was the male she had met.

“Her parents were concerned that ‘Bradley’ was older than 14 and contacted police on September 1, 2021,” said Mrs McKay.

“It turned out that the defendant was actually 18-years-old. He was arrested the following day and denied the allegations and provided a buccal (DNA) swab to police.”

The victim told police she had first met the defendant on August 23, 2021, outside a store in Newtownabbey where she gave him her Snapchat details.

He messaged her later that evening on Snapchat and Instagram, sending her sexually explicit material of himself.

“She said an arrangement was made to meet up on August 25, 2021, when they engaged in sexual activity.”

McGarrell was interviewed three months later and continued to deny knowing or meeting the victim.

“But when phone and forensic evidence was put to him,” said Mrs McKay,

“He admitted that he had met the complainant and sexual activity had taken place.

“These are serious matters involving high culpability and high harm. The effect these offences had on her have been exacerbated by her vulnerabilities.”

In a pre-sentence report compiled by the probation service, McGarrell told the author that “his sexual urges overcame his rational thinking”.

Defence counsel Charles MacCreanor KC told the court that the victim was “blameless” over the offences.

“Given the short time they met and knew each other, and the physical activity occurred on one day, he would not have been aware of the full extent of her vulnerabilities,” said Mr MacCreanor.

“We are not dealing with a case where the vulnerabilities were known about and exploited. It is accepted that it is a bad feature that he lied about his age.”

Mr MacCreanor added: “He knows that not only has he caused hurt and harm to this young victim, he has also caused a great deal of difficulty to his family. He is ashamed and horrified and knows he should never have done what he did.”

Passing the two-year sentence, Belfast Recorder Judge Patricia Smyth said the victim was a “vulnerable young girl” and the offences had had a “considerable impact on her. She feared being pregnant and has suffered anxiety”.

The Belfast Recorder said she was departing from the normal equal split between custody and licence as McGarrell needed “professional intervention to explore the underlying issues in his case”.

Judge Smyth added: “That is going to take some time. You will be held to account for your actions and for the motivation behind your offending behaviour.”

McGarrell was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and was disqualified from working with children.