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Girl, 10, in world of sex and alcohol

27/ 2/2008

A JOBLESS teenager befriended and abducted a ten-year-old girl before introducing her to a sordid world of underage sex and drinking.

Stacey Wheatcroft, 20, lied about her age to the girl’s mother then befriended the young girl, taking her out in cars with Asian men and drinking and staying out late.

On one occasion the girl – known as Girl A for legal reasons – ended up in a bedroom with two males and later said she had sexual intercourse with both of them.

Following the case it emerged the arrest of Wheatcroft was made as part of ‘Operation Messenger’, a police operation in Oldham to try and stop young girls becoming involved in prostitution.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, Wheatcroft, of Pike View Close, Glodwick, admitted five counts of child abduction and was sentenced to a 12-month supervision order.

Judge Roger Thomas QC, sentencing, said: "There are real concerns in Oldham about the activities of girls under the age of 16. It is very unsettling and disturbing.

"This case is very serious. You played a real part in leading Girl A astray and helping her go astray. Her mother was trying to keep a grip on her."

Earlier, the court heard Wheatcroft befriended Girl A in April 2003 when Wheatcroft was 16 and Girl A just ten.

Mr Jonathan Savage, prosecuting, said: "The defendant was 16 but said she was 14 because she knew the mother would disapprove of their relationship.

He added: "Wheatcroft had at that time a boyfriend. They would all spend time together drinking alcohol in a man’s car.

"The defendant said they would mix with men who had access to cars. They would drink alcohol, and Girl A would ask her to lie about her age."

The court heard Girl A’s mother began to have concerns after her daughter was seen getting into and out of cars with older males. Then Girl A began to go missing and come home as if she had been drinking.

In November 2006, when Girl A was 13, a child abduction notice was served on Wheatcroft forbidding her to have contact with Girl A – but in July 2007 they were together again.

The court heard the pair went out celebrating Wheatcroft’s birthday and had gone with an Asian male and been drinking.

When they returned to Wheatcroft’s house the pair got into a fight over what they were going to wear and they both suffered injuries as a result.

Girl A’s mum phoned police and Wheatcroft was arrested.

"The defendant made full admissions in interview," Mr Savage added. "She said she mixed with younger girls because she found it easier.

"She said she remembered an event eight months prior when Girl A and she were at an address in Clarksfield with four Asian males.

"She said Girl A had been taken into the bedroom with a man. Sometime after a second male went in and made a comment that they were having sex and a male came out of the room naked from the waist down.

"Girl A was said to be covered only in a towel. She then went back into the bedroom with the second male and sometime later said to the defendant she had had sex with both of them.

"When the defendant was asked why she didn’t intervene she said, ‘she knows how to say yes or no’."

In mitigation, Mr Mike Leeming claimed: "She did not introduce Girl A to behaviour she was unfamilar with."

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