Former Wirral sea cadet volunteer jailed for abusing teenage boy (From Wirral Globe)

Former Wirral sea cadet volunteer jailed for abusing teenage boy

10:32am Thursday 13th September 2012 in News

A FORMER Wallasey sea cadets volunteer has been jailed for sexually abusing a teenage boy in his care.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that David Taylor was a lieutenant in the cadets when the offences, which spanned three years, took place.

The abuse only came to light after Taylor was jailed for 27 months in 2010 for possessing indecent images of children and his victim, who is now grown up, realised by not speaking up more children may have suffered.

Kim Egerton, prosecuting, said the sexual abuse was carried out during the 1980s when Taylor, a merchant seaman, would return from sea and would “groom” the boy, buying him sweets and equipment in exchange for sexual favours.

“The police got to know about it after the victim read that Taylor had been prosecuted for child porn offences and realised that if he had said something sooner those offences might not have occurred.”

The victim described his abuser as “a very, very nice man” and said he did not use force on him but said he had felt guilty ever since.

Taylor, 61, of Great Howard Street, Vauxhall, Liverpool, has previous convictions for abusing under-age boys in the 1980s and 1990s.

Judge Stephen Clarke jailed Taylor for two and a half years and ordered him to sign the Sex Offfenders Register for life. He had pleaded guilty to six offences of sexual assault.

Jonathan Duffy, defending, said that Taylor was sorry for what he had done.

“He has reflected on his conduct and realises the pain he has caused and the enduring problems he has suffered,” he said.