A manipulative cannabis dealer paid a vulnerable 16-year-old girl £50 for sexual services in his car – and nicknamed her his “Lolita” – after he cynically took advantage of her and “exploited” her while she was suffering confidence and self-esteem problems.
David Young advertised cannabis sweets and cakes for sale and he exchanged messages with the girl after she entered his “arena” and his “world” by becoming one of his many online customers. They met up in his car and sexual activity took place in the vehicle, Hull Crown Court heard.
Young, 55, of Greylees Avenue, off Beverley Road, Hull, admitted paying a child for sexual services between September 1 and October 31, 2021. He originally denied the offences but pleaded guilty on the day of a scheduled trial. He also admitted being concerned in supplying cannabis edibles to the girl between August 25 and November 30, 2021 and possessing cannabis with intent to supply on January 24, 2022.
David Godfrey, prosecuting, said that Young came into contact with the 16-year-old girl in the autumn of 2021 as part of his activities as a cannabis dealer. “She was one of his many customers,” said Mr Godfrey.
Young advertised cannabis products online.
The girl was “at a difficult stage of her young life” and she used cannabis to help her – or so she thought. “The purchase of cannabis brought her into his arena, into his world,” said Mr Godfrey.
Young had his own website and used Instagram. Messages between them became more sexual. He sent her an intimate picture of himself and he asked her for naked pictures of herself.
“He suggested that she could make extra cash by doing stuff with him,” said Mr Godfrey. “She was vulnerable to his advances.” The girl met Young in his car and they shared some cannabis. “He called her his ‘Lolita’,” said Mr Godfrey.
(Image: Humberside Police)
She performed sexual services on him and he paid her £50 after trying to “haggle the price down”.
The girl later said that she did not think that she would have performed the sexual services if she had not been “high on the cannabis that he supplied” to her. He later told her to delete their messages.
The police were later alerted. The girl said that she was being bullied at the time and took substances to cope. She felt that Young exploited her problems and low self-esteem. “He was the adult and I was a child,” she said. “He took full advantage. I know now that he exploited and abused me.”
She still suffered nightmares about Young and she had, at times, been reluctant to leave the house. It had affected her relationship with friends. “I feel used, gross, dirty and that I can’t trust myself,” she said. “I doubt that I will ever be able to fully recover.”
After Young was arrested for the offence involving the girl, police seized his phone and found that he had been supplying cannabis to her as well as advertising and supplying sweets, cakes and regular cannabis through his website. He had numerous contacts for selling cannabis to different customers.
There were cash payments through his website and he was selling directly to users. “It was his own operation and he was operating a business for significant financial advantage,” said Mr Godfrey. The estimated street value of the cannabis seized was £6,533.
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Benjamin Donnell, mitigating, said that Young pleaded guilty and there were references for him. “The defendant was the adult in this situation and the complainant was a child,” said Mr Donnell.
“Ultimately, he was the responsible person and bears full responsibility for what transpired. There has been a conversation, which has led to the agreement between these two parties.”
Father-of-two Young had previous convictions but nothing for similar offences. “It does appear to be out of character for this defendant,” said Mr Donnell. Young had a first-class degree and he worked for many years on the assembly operation of a boilers company but he left that job as he realised that he faced an immediate prison sentence.
Judge John Thackray KC told Young: “You took full advantage of and exploited a vulnerable 16-year-old girl. There was an element of grooming here. Your offending has had a profound impact on her to this day. You made attempts to prevent reporting by telling your victim to delete messages.”
Young, who had been on bail, was jailed for three years. He will have to register as a sex offender for life.