Caretaker jailed for sex with girl

Adam Hepworth, 24, was working as a caretaker at a West Yorkshire school when he twice had sex with the teenager, who caught chlamydia from him.

Hepworth pleaded guilty to two charges of sexually activity with a child. He was also given a 10-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order, banning him from contacting the girl. His name will be on the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.

Leeds Crown Court was told last Monday that Hepworth ignored a warning from a Police Community Support Officer who told him his relationship with the girl was ‘inappropriate’ after seeing them drinking alcohol together in a Wakefield park.

The offences were not connected to Hepworth’s job at the school. He was sacked when he was charged with the offences and later worked as a labourer.

Heather Gilmore, prosecuting, said the girl ‘fancied’ Hepworth and asked her friend to give him her number after she saw him in Wakefield.

Judge Scott Wolstenholme sentenced Hepworth, of Barber Walk, Flatts, Dewsbury. He said: “In March you had a chance meeting with a 15-year-old girl in a shop.

“She got one of her friends to obtain your telephone number and a relationship developed. On two separate occasions you had full sexual intercourse with her.

“On one occasion that sex was unprotected, I’m told the girl contracted chlamydia.

“At the time of your arrest you were employed as a caretaker at a high school where you had worked for two years.

“There’s no suggestion you used your position at the school to exploit children.

“As a school caretaker you will be well aware of the proper boundaries with the children and it is dismaying you were prepared to enter into a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl, however willing.”

Mohammed Nawaz, mitigating, said Hepworth was genuinely remorseful and added: “She was a willing participant.”