Woman who fondled 15-year-old girl at a racecourse is jailed
A 42-year-old woman has been jailed for 32 months after she fondled a 15-year-old girl.
Emma Williams from Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, admitted that in April last year, at Chester Racecourse, she had sexual activity with a child.
The court heard how Williams took advantage of the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, while she stayed inside a tent on a camping weekend with a friend.
The victim and her 13-year-old friend became drunk after drinking samples of wine and returned to their tent.
Williams had seen the pair looked unwell and said she wanted to help.
Once inside the tent, she touched the 15-year-old sexually and told her she was in love with her.
Mercedeh Jabbari, prosecuting, said that the defendant had hugged the victim before touching her breasts and putting her hand down her underwear.
The victim was told to be quiet by Williams throughout the ordeal.
After the event, the court was told that the pair exchanged text messages, some of them intimate.
The activity was only discovered when the victim’s mother checked her daughter’s phone and called the police.
Defence lawyer Rachel Woods, said: “She has apologised for her behaviour and expresses how she is deeply ashamed.
“She is genuinely remorseful.”
On sentencing her to 32 months in prison at Preston Crown Court, Judge Christopher Cornwall, said: “This was not a moment of madness, you allowed this to develop into a continuing relationship, arguably doing more damage to this girl in the process and you were nearly three times her age.
“Boys and girls of that age don’t necessarily understand what they are becoming involved in and they don’t understand the consequences.
“My impression is that this young girl didn’t have control over what was happening.
“Her account to the police portrays you in a grim light.”
As well as the custodial sentence, Williams has been banned from contacting any children under the age of 16 through a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.
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