Man who 'took advantage of underage girl' and had sexual relationship with her is jailed
A man who had sexual activity with an underage teenage girl has been jailed for 32 months.
Stuart Barratt, aged 32, of Highfield Road, Burntwood, admitted two charges of sexual activity with the girl in Mid Wales in 2020.
Barratt appeared at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Friday last week.
Mitigating, Marian Lewis said Barratt had no previous convictions and had not committed any offences in the three years since the matters before the court.
She said Barratt was in a bad place at the time of the incidents – he was suffering from depression, he was in debt and he did not like his job.
He was given medication for his depression but he did not take it because it did not agree with him and instead he self-medicated with cocaine and ketamine.
Ms Lewis said Barratt was genuinely remorseful and feels shame for what he did.
Sentencing, Recorder Dyfed Llion Thomas told Barratt: “You should have known better.
“You were the adult and you took advantage of a child sexually.”
He said the disparity in age, some grooming behaviour and sexual activity features were aggravating features.
He sentenced Barratt to 32 months in prison for all matters.
Barratt will have to sign the sex offenders’ register indefinitely and there will be a restraining order and a sexual harm prevention order in place for 15 years.
