A 24-year-old law student who groomed a girl on Snapchat committed multiple child sex offences with her and other victims.
Oliver Thomas Lupton Lane, 24, of Richmond Hill, Garman Carr Lane, Wistow, Selby, was today jailed for what police described as “wholly reprehensible” crimes.
Police began an investigation after a child disclosed that she had been speaking to a man on Snapchat and they had met and engaged in sexual activity. She was 14 years old.
Oliver Lane was identified as the suspect and arrested. Officers seized several of his electronic devices. These contained sexual abuse material of the 14-year-old victim and two other children.
North Yorkshire Police’s digital forensic unit were able to repair and download one of the victim’s phones.
A lengthy Snapchat conversation between the victim and Lane was recovered. The contents of the chat clearly show that Lane was fully aware of the child’s age and yet he went on to groom her, causing her to make explicit photographs and videos and to meet her for sex.
Emotional trauma
Lane was charged with 18 offences. He pleaded guilty to 11, including sexual activity with a child, arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence and several charges of making indecent photographs of children.
He was jailed for six years and 10 months at York Crown Court today (Friday).
At the time he was identified as a suspect Lane was in his third year of a law degree and had boasted to one of his victims that he was already a lawyer.
Detective Constable Oliver Dalby from York CID said: “The offences for which Lane has pleaded guilty are wholly reprehensible.
“He has inflicted such a profound level of emotional trauma upon one of his victims, that she is unsure whether she will ever fully recover.
“Throughout the investigation, Lane has shown no remorse.
“His decision to enter guilty pleas just before the start of his trial meant that one of his victims had already undergone a pre-recorded cross examination, in which she had to revisit the abuse that she had suffered.
“I would like to thank the victims in this case for their bravery, trust and patience, it would not have been possible to bring Lane to justice without their co-operation.”