Leeds child rapist preyed on 11-year-old girl in woodland after contacting her on Snapchat and meeting her from school

A judge described Cameron Russell as "an offender of particular concern" after evidence was recovered that he had also been targeting two other children, aged ten and 13, at the time of his arrest

Leeds Crown Court heard Russell made contact with the 11-year-old girl through the Snapchat mobile phone app in 2019.

Mehran Nassiri, prosecuting, said that by April of that year Russell and the youngster were "avid messagers".

Russell began to send the victim sexual messages and graphic videos of himself.

In June he made arrangements to meet the girl.

Mr Nassiri said the defendant met the girl at a bus station after she finished school.

He then took her to a woodland were he had sex with her.

Russell was arrested after police were alerted to the messages and images Russell had sent to her mobile phone.

The 21-year-old defendant was interviewed and accepted having sex with the girl and sending her messages but claimed he thought she was aged 16.

Evidence was recovered from his mobile phone which indicated that he had also been sending sexual messages to two girls aged 13 and ten.

In one of the messages he asked one of the girls if she had a younger sister.

Mr Nassiri said the two girls have never been traced.

Russell, of Woodkirk Gardens, Woodkirk, pleaded guilty to rape of a child under 13, causing a child under 13 to watch a sexual act and two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

He was found not guilty of engaging in sexual communication with a child after a trial.

The court heard he has a previous conviction for exposure, committed in 2013 when he was a youth.

Matthew Harding, mitigating, said Russell had been in custody for 17 months since being arrested.

Mr Harding asked Judge Andrew Stubbs QC to give his client credit for entering guilty pleas.

The barrister said Russell was aged 19 at the time of the offences and is immature for his age.

Judge Stubbs rejected the submission that Russell was immature after watching him give evidence at his trial.

He said: "I am satisfied that you were neither particularly young nor immature."

Judge Stubbs said Russell should be regarded as "an offender of particular concern", telling the defendant: "I am drawn to the conclusion that you are dangerous."

Describing the offending, he said: "This was the opportunistic satisfaction of your own urges.."

Russell was told he must serve a further period of 12 months on licence after completing the custodial sentence.

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