leahortez86: Paedophile jailed after attempting to lure child in city park

Friday, June 3, 2011

Paedophile jailed after attempting to lure child in city park

PERVERT John Platt has been handed a three-and-a-half year jail sentence after he waited in bushes and asked a child to engage in sexual activity.

The 10-year-old victim was cycling at Lyme Valley Parkway in Newcastle on May 25 last year when Platt called out to her from a small clump of bushes and trees.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court had previously heard the 50-year-old waited until the youngster was out of sight of her parents before asking her if she was on her own.

And when she stopped, Platt enticed her into the trees and asked her to show him her knickers.

Prosecutor Martin Butterworth said: "He called out he had something he wanted to show her.

"She got off her bike and walked towards the wooded area.

"He took the bike off her and lent it against a tree.

"He then enticed her into the trees before he said 'Can I see your knickers? It is our secret. Do not tell anybody'."

The young victim was shocked and scared and ran off to her mum, leaving her bike.

She pointed the defendant out and her step-dad approached Platt as he walked away pushing a bike.

Mr Butterworth said: "He caught up with the defendant and confronted him in a fairly robust way."

Platt denied any knowledge of the allegation, but the girl's parents contacted the police and he was arrested three days later.

When officers knocked on the door of his Trent Vale flat, Platt was seen lying on his bed.

He denied being in the park on the Tuesday and said he did not speak to anybody and was not confronted by anyone.

But officers noted Platt had a child's swimsuit under him on the bed, which he tried to hide by throwing a quilt over it.

Mr Butterworth said: "Other objects were found in his flat which clearly show this is a man who has an interest in children.

"Under a pillow was a catalogue which contained pictures of children.

"And elsewhere around the flat was children's clothing, underwear and a collection of newspaper clippings relating to the abduction and murder of children."

Platt told officers someone had burgled his flat and planted the items.

The defendant, of Woodberry Close, Springfields, denied causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

But he was found guilty by a jury after a trial in January.

And after the trial he pleaded guilty to possessing expanding ammunition – bullets designed to expand on impact – which police found when searching in his flat on May 28 last year.

His sentencing was delayed in order for psychiatric reporters to be carried out.

Yesterday, Platt appeared at Derby Crown Court where he was sentenced by Judge Trevor Jones.

Although he was handed a three-and-a-half year jail term, it is expected he will not serve the full duration after previously spending 347 days on remand.

Platt has also been disqualified from working with children.