Woman who kidnapped and sexually abused girl (14) jailed

A woman who kidnapped and sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl has been jailed for breaching a court order.

Phoebe Pearce, 25, from Newport, groomed the schoolgirl, who was aged 14 at the time, after meeting her on Facebook two years ago.

She was warned by the teenager’s mother, but Pearce lured the girl away from her home to have sexual activity with her while she was on police bail.

A court heard Pearce texted a friend and said the girl was “young but I don’t care”.

In September 2022, Pearce admitted grooming, abducting and engaging in sexual activity with a child Cardiff Hearing at the Crown Court.

Judge Jeremy Jenkins said the relationship “quickly turned into a sexual relationship”.

“You didn’t stop, you persisted despite the mother’s protests. A relationship developed and some sexual activity took place,” he said.

“You knew what you were doing was wrong, but you kept doing it.”

Pearce was sentenced to a three-year community order and a sexual harm prevention order, with the condition that he must not contact the girl.

But Newport Crown Court heard that Pearce sent the girl a message after her 16th birthday asking to be added by the girl on gaming site Twitch and on her new Snapchat account.

The teen’s mother contacted police when she found out and Pearce was later arrested.

Pearce was jailed for 17 months and made a renewed five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order after admitting breaching the previous order.

Convicting Pearce, Recorder David Harris said: “You met a child following a series of sexual acts and ignored orders made against you.”