[A] “DANGEROUS” South Cumbria sex offender who committed crimes against a teenage girl has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.
Steven Andrew Airey was said to have initially “groomed” his 14-year-old victim by giving her cigarettes, alcohol and expensive gifts. The female later stated she had suffered a “great deal of anguish” as a result of 50-year-old Airey’s historical sex crimes.
“I buried the issue deep in my mind to avoid having to think about it,” she wrote in an impact statement, “but it has always been there.”
Carlisle Crown Court also heard Airey was a “committed collector” of disturbing indecent images of “very young children”. These were found on a mobile phone he refused to provide the passcode for.
Police eventually gained access to the device, however. They discovered more than 1,600 illegal images – 564 classed in category A, the most serious.
Airey admitted two indecent assault charges, and offences of indecency and sexual activity with a child. He also admitted making and distributing child porn images.
Judge James Adkin jailed Airey, of Hall Road, Burneside, near Kendal, and imposed an extended three-year licence period. Airey must sign the sex offenders’ register and follow the terms of a sexual harm prevention order, both for life.
“I am satisfied you are a dangerous offender,” Judge Adkin told him.
