Dangerous Leeds paedophile with 'tendency to prey on young girls' targeted teenager over Instagram

Bradley Starkey, who is already serving an 11-year sentence for torching a student halls building in Woodhouse in August 2020, told the young teenager that he was just 15 when he began talking to her over the social media platform in 2019.

He was in fact 18 at the time and after meeting the the girl, took her back to his flat where they had sex. The girl then confessed to friends at school which led to “gossip”, prosecutor Chloe Hudson told Leeds Crown Court this week.

Teachers found out and the police were contacted. In a victim impact statement, the girl said she had suffered from depression and anxiety and spent more time in her room. She admitted she was “completely out of her depth and had no real understanding,” Miss Hudson said.

Starkey, who is serving his current sentence in HMP Stocken in the East Midlands, appeared in court via video link and admitted a charge of sexual activity with a child. He had initially denied the charge.

The court heard that Starkey, who is now 22, has no previous convictions for sexual offences, but had fathered a child to a 14-year-old girl when he was younger. A pre-sentence report suggested he had an interest in girls of that age.

Mitigating, Jeremy Barton said: “He is sorry for what he has done. He was upset and disturbed by the victim impact statement. He is still a very young man himself. He does not condone his behaviour and does understand that engaging in relationships with people that are much younger than himself is very wrong. He does show some remorse and insight.”

But Judge Andrew Stubbs KC described Starkey as a “dangerous individual”, adding: “That was found when you were convicted of arson. I find you to be dangerous for entirely different reasons. You have a tendency to prey on young girls.”

He jailed him for three years, which will run consecutively to his existing 11-year sentence. He also gave him a lifelong sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).