Taxi Driver Online

Gainsborough taxi driver jailed


A TAXI driver used his cab for illicit sex sessions with a 15 year old schoolgirl, Lincoln Crown Court was told today.

Terry Barnett , who worked in the Gainsborough area, met up with the young girl after spotting her in the town and throwing her a set of his keys together with his mobile number.

Lois Colley, prosecuting, said the girl texted Barnett asking what he wanted and they then began to regularly exchange messages with the girl making it clear to Barnett that she was only 15.

Later Barnett began to meet the girl before he then drove her in his cab to a secluded spot where they had sex.

Miss Colley said that Barnett continued to meet the girl over a four month period and had sex with her on 10 occasions.

But the illicit relationship came to an end when the girl went on a school trip leaving her mobile phone at home.

Her mum checked the phone and discovered messages of a sexual nature.
After confronting her daughter she contacted police.

Barnett claimed in interview he believed the girl was 16 and said he stopped seeing her when he discovered she was under age.
Barnett, 25, of High Street, Blyton, Gainsborough, admitted five charges of sexual activity with a child between November 2007 and January 2008.

He was jailed for 27 months and placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years.

Barnett was also given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order banning him from having unsupervised contact with any child under 16 for five years and he was banned for life from working with children.

Judge Michael Heath told him "You knew of her age and nevertheless you went ahead with this activity. I cannot draw back from imposing a custodial sentence."

Catarina Sjolin, defending, said that what happened was with the girl's consent.

"He is emotionally underdeveloped. He is shy and lacks confidence and self esteem. He finds it hard to form realtionships with women of his own age."

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin