Sexual predator who abducted two young children in seaside town jailed for 13 years

On Sunday July 16 2023, Jason Hoodlass, 28, was on Cleethorpes seafront at the same time as two children when a brief conversation took place between them.

Hoodlass gave money to the children to play on the arcades and proceeded to then follow them in where he continued to befriend and talk to them.

He then took the children to Ross Castle where he sexually assaulted them, the court heard.

Having sexually assaulted the girls, Hoodlass then took them in to Grimsby to buy them new clothing and whilst trying them on, he proceeded to take indecent images of the girls before leaving them to return home on their own.

Hoodlass pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault by touching a child, three counts of taking indecent images, two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order, two counts of voyeurism and two counts of abduction.

He pleaded guilty at Grimsby Crown Court on Tuesday, January 9, where he was remanded into custody until his court appearance on Thursday March 21.

Hoodlass, of Kings Road, Immingham, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison and handed a life time sexual harm prevention order for the shocking offences.

He will also remain on the sex offenders register for life.

Detective Chief Inspector Leanne Murphy, from the force’s Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, said: “This was a shocking case, in which a sexual predator targeted two vulnerable young children and abused them for his own depraved sexual gratification.

“This has been undoubtedly a terrifying ordeal for the girls and their family, and I’d like to praise their bravery and courage throughout the course of the investigation and court proceedings.

“Hoodlass is a real danger to children in our communities. By reporting this incident to us they have helped put an offender before the courts, ultimately resulting in him being behind bars.

“We take all reports of sexual offences incredibly seriously and will continue to seek prosecution for anyone who commits this type of crime.”

If you have any information about crime, please call our non-emergency 101 line or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

In an emergency always dial 999.

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