Sex offender groomed Leeds teen after police failed to prosecute him for previous offence

Daniel Johnson, 26, persuaded his young victim to lie to her parents before meeting him at a hotel in Leeds city centre he had sex with her over three days.

Leeds Crown Court heard Johnson had previously had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old with another girl in his home town of Rhyl, north Wales, in 2009. The youngster became pregnant and gave to the child but Johnson was not prosecuted for behaviour.

North Wales Police instead gave Johnson a caution and and he was made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order.

Jailing Johnson yesterday, judge Rodney Jameson, QC, said: “It is unfortunate for a number of reasons that you were not prosecuted for that offence.”

He added: “You were a mature adult and you had been warned, and this I’m afraid is the aggravating feature.” The court heard Johnson first met the youngster online in May last year. In July he traveled from north Wales to meet the girl in her home city of Leeds.

He then returned to Leeds in August and met the girl at a Premier Inn where sex took place on 12 occasions over three days.

Police were contacted after the youngster’s parents became aware of what happened. Johnson was arrested and seized video footage of himself and the victim involved in sexual acts. Johnson, of Rhydwen Drive, Rhyl, pleaded guilty to two offences of sexual activity with a child. Jayne Cooper, mitigaing, said it was unfortunate that Johnson had not been prosecuted in 2009 as he would have been able the access treatment to address his offending.