A man drugged a vulnerable 13-year-old girl and took her to the woods to sexually abuse her, a court heard.
Christopher Wade, of no fixed abode, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday after being found guilty at trial of one count of rape, one count of assault by penetration and a third count of sexual assault. Gareth Roberts prosecuting, detailed that in August 2022, Wade was in Southport visiting his adult daughter, and had then entered the town centre to source some drugs.
He spotted the 13-year-old girl sitting on a bench so approached and engaged her in conversation. Wade asked the girl if she wanted a drink, and despite knowing she must have been underage, he bought her a bottle of vodka.
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The 55-year-old then walked the girl to a wooded area, where the victim told Wade she was in care and why, and detailed that she had had a stressful day. Wade told the girl he would have taken her to his daughter's house but she “would not have liked it because you are so young”.
He then took the victim behind a bush and used a plastic bottle to create a device for inhaling heroin. The girl told him she had never done that drug before but tried some, and said it made her feel “out of it”.
Wade then proceeded to commit sexual acts on the girl and then rape her. He then took her to a bench and left her on it in the early hours of the morning, after spending around three hours together.
A local taxi driver saw the victim on the bench, and was so concerned that he pulled over and got out to see if she was alright. She immediately disclosed that she had been raped, so he called emergency services and assisted in getting her to safety.
A victim personal statement read by the prosecution detailed that the victim still struggles to sleep and has flashbacks to the attack. The girl said she just wants to get on with her life and focus on school, and wants to become a paramedic so she can help people.
She said she “blames herself everyday”, and asks why it happened to her. It read: “Some days I just want the pain to go away. It is a trauma I will never forget.”
Mr Roberts detailed that an investigation revealed that drugs were found in the girl’s system and that Wade’s DNA was found. Wade denied that he had sex with her, only that he committed sexual acts.
Charlotte Kenny defending, said her client does have a large mount of previous convictions, relating to dishonesty charges, but none of a sexual nature. She detailed that Wade lost his job with Merseyrail due to a tumour, so became addicted to strong painkillers and then class A drugs.
Judge Andrew Menary KC said: “She was, at that place, at that time, in that condition, helpless, and unable to do anything to prevent this happening. You took her out and left her on another bench.
“You deliberately took her to a remote location late at night when you knew people would be looking for her.” Wade was sentenced to 12 years in custody, and a sexual harm prevention order was implemented indefinitely.
He will also be subject to notification requirements for the rest of his life.
Speaking after the sentencing of Wade, Detective Constable Jennifer Guest said: "Today's sentence hopefully gives the victim some comfort as she continues to recover from this traumatic and deeply damaging ordeal, and we will continue to support her going forward. We recognise the profound impact such serious crime has on victims, and hopefully she will in time gain strength and a brighter future.
"Wade preyed on and exploited this vulnerable young girl, using drugs and alcohol to lure her away from a public place, and then added to her suffering through the ordeal of an investigation and trial.
"He showed callous disregard for his victim and is clearly a significant danger to the public. Wade will now be serving a sentence which reflects the gravity of his crimes, and one which will protect the public. We'd also like to thank the taxi driver who showed compassion in looking after the victim and calling police on the night. His swift actions helped our investigation immensely.
“We are committed to protecting victims of sexual offences, and ensure that anyone who reports an incident to us will be safeguarded and supported throughout the investigation.
“Anyone that has been a victim of a sexual offence or is concerned for the safety of someone they know should come forward and speak to us. This isn’t always an easy decision, but be assured that we have a team of dedicated staff who will expertly and compassionately deal with your reports and do everything we can to bring offenders to justice.”
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