Man jailed after taking teen to hotel for sex

A man who took a 15-year-old girl to a hotel for sex has been jailed for 45 months.

Sven Halstein, 37, began chatting with the girl through the dating app Badoo where she made it clear how old she was, as well as the fact she was messaging from school, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

Despite this he sent her lewd messages on WhatApp and arranged to meet her at a Premier Inn in Penrith, Cumbria, where he pushed himself on her and engaged in sexual activity.

Judge Nicholas Barker said he was satisfied Halstein knew the girl was "young and vulnerable" and that what he was doing was illegal.

The court heard that while the pair were in the hotel room, the girl was able to message her friend saying she was "going to get raped", Rob Wyn Jones, prosecuting, said.

Friends and the girl’s father went to the hotel, where she was "upset and shaky".

On arrest, Halstein told police he "just wanted to have fun".

Analysis of his phone showed he had previously made the web search "sex with minors in England".

Halstein, a German national of no fixed address, admitted six offences — engaging in penetrative and non-penetrative sexual activity with a child, sexual communication with a child and arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence by booking the hotel room.

The harrowing impact of his offending was outlined in a graphic statement provided by the girl’s mother, who said she hoped the teenager would be "strong enough to get through all of this".

Counselling had been provided for the girl, who spoke about rarely leaving her home and feeling guilty for what had happened.

Sentencing Halstein on Friday, Judge Barker told him it had been his responsibility that the child was kept safe.

Brendan O’Leary, mitigating, said the defendant had no previous criminal convictions and expressed "his genuine and sincere remorse".

As well as the prison sentence, Halstein must sign the sex offenders’ register and comply with a strict prevention order, both for life.

He will also be barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.

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