He denied sexual communication with a child but he was convicted by a jury after a trial
Sean Lawton was found guilty of sexual communication with a child(Image: Hull Live)
A motor mechanic behaved in an “increasingly sinister” way towards a teenage girl – and forced her to listen to the pornography that he had just been watching on a tablet a few minutes earlier. Sean Lawton unplugged his headphones and made jokes about what was going on in the sex scenes, leaving her feeling “uncomfortable”.
He “turned up the volume” and was “wanting” her to know what he was watching. She hurriedly escaped from the scene and the police later arrested him, Hull Crown Court heard.
Lawton, 53, of West Promenade, Driffield, denied sexual communication with a child but he was convicted by a jury after a trial. He was cleared of two offences of sexual assault and another of assault by penetration.
Jazmine Lee, prosecuting, said that Lawton treated the girl like a “sexual object” and he “took his chance” with her one day. His behaviour towards her became “increasingly sinister” and he made sexualised comments to her.
“He mentioned topics that were not suitable to talk about,” said Miss Lee.
The girl said during her evidence that she saw Lawton watching something on a tablet.
“I asked him what he was watching and he said ‘porn’,” she said. Lawton made her sit down, unplugged his headphones from the tablet that he was using and turned up the sound so that she could hear what was going on in the sex video.
“He unplugged his headphones like he was wanting me to hear what was on,” she said. “He put the tablet on and increased the volume.
“He made jokes about it and asked if I watched it.” She felt “uncomfortable” about what was happening. The girl left the room.
She learned what pornography was from Lawton, said Miss Lee. He spoke about other sexual matters and behaviour and he showed her sex-related things.
The girl reported the matters and the police later became involved. During police interview, Lawton denied that anything sexual happened.
Deputy circuit judge Timothy Clayson said: “He denied that he committed any sort of sexual offence towards her.” During his defence evidence, Lawton told the court: “There was never anything sexual between us.
“I never discussed pornography. I did watch porn but I did not show her any.” He claimed that the girl was lying. “I felt shellshocked,” he claimed.
“I have absolutely no idea why she would make these allegations.” He had worked as a motor mechanic and he had no previous convictions, the court heard.
Sentence was adjourned for reports. Defence barrister Dale Brook said that Lawton had been on unconditional bail during the trial and he asked for this to continue. This was agreed but Lawton will have to register as a sex offender.
The deputy circuit judge told Lawton: “You must keep the police notified of your whereabouts. You must comply with the notification requirements.”
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