A paedophile groomed a young boy with a Liverpool FC kit in return for sexual favours.
Michael Crawford, who is now 77, was previously jailed for eight years in 2014 when a number of the teenagers he abused bravely came forward after they were assaulted by him. Crawford was released part-way through his sentence, however another of his victims came forward with a report they were also abused by him, reports DerbyshireLive.
Judge Shaun KC told Derby Crown Court that during the 80s and 90s, the now 77-year-old had a "particular appetite for young boys and you committed sexual offences against them to various levels of seriousness." The court heard how he groomed his latest victim and on one occasion bribed him with a replica Liverpool FC kit.
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Jailing Crawford for two years, Judge Shaun Smith KC said: “It does not give the court any pleasure in sending a 77-year-old man back into custody but I am afraid the court has no choice. You are somebody that during the 1980s and 1990s had a particular appetite for young boys and you committed sexual offences against them to various levels of seriousness.
"You groomed (your latest victim) and you effectively bribed him as you had done to previous people, on one occasion with a Liverpool football club kit and no doubt bribed him with other items. You were effectively paying male children to engage in sexual behaviour with you.”
James Bide-Thomas, prosecuting, said Crawford, of Limes Avenue in Derby, offered gifts to young teenage boys in return for them carrying out sex acts on him and to allow him to carry out sexual abuse on them. The prosecutor said: “On one occasion he got (the latest victim) to touch him sexually in return for a Liverpool football kit. He did not disclose it at the time, his mother died and this left him isolated and vulnerable.
“In an impact statement, he said his life had been blighted by this, causing him to drink a significant amount of alcohol and led to him messing up his employment although things are much better now.”
Crawford pleaded guilty to one count of indecency with a child and two counts of indecent assault of a child. Denny Lau, mitigating, said his client, who was supported by two members of the public in court, had pleaded guilty at an early stage of the proceedings which meant the victim did not have to come to court and relive his ordeal in the witness box.
He said: “He lives on his own and only goes out one single day a week to go shopping on his mobility scooter. He will go into custody today, he knows the situation today, he was released (from his eight-year sentence) on June 18, 2018, and he has complied with his licence conditions. He has not been in any trouble since.”
As well as the jail sentence, Judge Smith handed Crawford a new sexual harm prevention order and ordered that he continue to sign on the sex offender register for the rest of the defendant’s life. Derbyshire Police have not released a custody photograph of Michael Crawford.
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