He tried to talk his way out of trouble but was convicted by a jury of a number of offences ‘geared around his liking of teenage girls’ and admitted others
Jacob Agnew pictured outside Hull Crown Court(Image: Hull Live)
A serial sex offender who targeted vulnerable teenage girls – and “played by his own rules” – later tried to talk his way out of trouble” by claiming that he was the victim of a “fanciful vendetta” against him. Jacob Agnew “did as he pleased” and his repeated predatory behaviour was “geared around his liking of teenage girls”.
He always had “an excuse or a clever explanation” for what he did but his luck finally ran out when “the circus came to town” and the police started detailed investigations into what he had done, Hull Crown Court heard. Agnew, 30, of the Holderness Road area, east Hull, denied a series of offences, including sexual assault, engaging in sexual activity with a child, and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, but he was convicted by a jury of six of them, involving three girls, after a 13-day trial.
He admitted four other offences of engaging in sexual activity with a child, involving two other girls. Agnew was cleared of three other offences, including blackmail, and the jury was unable to reach a verdict on another charge.
He admitted a separate charge of fraud between November 1 and December 5, 2022, involving dishonestly submitting a false reference for a job application. He was suspended at the time from one job but he submitted a false reference as part of an application for other employment.
David Godfrey, prosecuting, said that the sexual offences committed by Agnew were “geared around his liking of teenage girls” but he “tried to present himself as a reasonable guy” while, at the same time, engineering opportunities with different girls, who were vulnerable. “He has lied to get himself out of trouble,” claimed Mr Godfrey.
“The defendant has been accomplished at talking his way out of sexual exploitation. He did what he wanted when he wanted.”
Mr Godfrey told the jury: “He lied to you. He played by his own rules. He did as he pleased. He knew best. He wants you to believe he is a good guy, who has been wronged.”
Agnew always had “an excuse or a clever explanation” for what he did. “He did it again and again and again,” claimed Mr Godfrey. “As he aged, the girls he fancied did not.”
Agnew was “distorting and twisting it to the police” but it was “not a fanciful vendetta” by the girls involved. “He has spent years and years talking his way out of the allegations,” claimed Mr Godfrey.
The court heard that Agnew claimed that all the allegations had been “made up” and that the girls were all lying. He did not give a motive for them supposedly doing this, the court was told.
Defence barrister Dale Brook said that Agnew had pleaded guilty to sexual activity involving two girls but he denied the allegations involving the other girls. The idea had developed among some people that Agnew was “a wrong un” and the allegations against him followed this.
“The circus came to town and the police started contacting people out of the blue,” claimed Mr Brook. There was the danger of a wrongful conviction.
“False allegations can also be made,” said Mr Brook. These could have “devastating” results for the person accused. Mr Brook claimed that evidence in the case was unreliable and vague.
Some of the prosecution evidence was “riddled with holes and uncertainty” in the case. “The prosecution juggernaut just carries on,” claimed Mr Brook.
“The most sinister theory has been put on everything. There are innocent explanations for all of this. The key evidence is deeply flawed.
“There is little evidence to support the allegations. He adamantly denies that he has committed these offences. He has pleaded guilty to the ones he does accept. There are many, many doubts in this case.”
Sentence on Agnew was adjourned for reports and he was allowed conditional bail until the next hearing.
Did you know you can make Hull Live a preferred source of Hull news in Google, which will mean you get more of our breaking news, exclusives, and must-read stories straight away? Here’s more information about what this means and how to do it – you can also do it straight away by clicking here.