A TWISTED paedophile who urged a 13-year-old girl to pose naked in front of stuffed animals and call him “daddy” has been locked-up.
Judge David Turner KC said Charlie Palmer had “corrupted” the childhood of his victim who sent countless pictures and videos to satisfy his depraved wishes.
Palmer, of Porter Way, Clacton, admitted he “looks back in horror” at what he did but claimed he was at a low point in his life at the time when he was aged 19.
Chelmsford Crown Court heard the now 25-year-old called the teenager “little one” and would carry out a sexual act while on the phone to her, while encouraging her to do the same.
He was jailed on Tuesday for three years after admitting three counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Siobhan Angela Molloy, prosecuting, said the pair initially began talking after meeting virtually in a Facebook group and the conversation quickly became sexual.
“[Palmer] would ask her to send intimate images of herself which she did. He would ask her to [carry out a sexual act] herself,” said Ms Molloy.
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The court heard the victim was urged to call her abuser “daddy” and had posed naked with a dummy in her mouth and in front of stuffed animals at his request.
A victim impact statement read to the court revealed her world “revolved around him” but now, looking back, she feels parts of her childhood were taken from her.
Steven Levy, mitigating, argued Palmer was at a “very low ebb” in his life and was still dealing with the tragic death of two of his siblings at a young age.
As a result, he used alcohol as a coping mechanism and, friendless, he sought after company online.
It was, however, a “very bad decision”, according to Judge Turner.
“All in all it was an ugly and exploitative course of conduct between two people who I accept were both, in their own way, vulnerable,” the judge added.
“This was longstanding grooming and corruption of a 13-year-old child.”
Palmer was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must not attempt to conceal his identity in future social media profiles.
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