Norfolk sex offender caught after victim's mum called police

The mother asked her daughter, then 14, what was going on after the parcel containing the underwear arrived.

Norwich Crown Court heard her daughter revealed she had been communicating online with Ashton Drake, who was nine years older than her.

Norwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)Isobel Ascherson, prosecuting, said the mother then found naked images of the defendant on her daughter's tablet.

Ms Ascherson said police were called after it emerged Drake had sought naked images of the victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Drake had also filmed himself performing sexual acts and had asked her to do the same, in messages sent over the space of a few days between December 24, 2019, and January 4, 2020.

The defendant, now 27, of Alexandra Road, Sheringham, appeared at court for sentencing on Friday (October 13) having previously admitted one count of causing a child to watch a sexual act. 

Ashton Drake (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)Drake, who wore an England rugby top while in the dock, also pleaded guilty to two counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and one offence of sexual communication with a child.

Before he was sentenced the court heard extracts of a statement from the victim who said she "hated" the defendant and now feels she has to have someone with her and feels "anxious".

She said she has also felt "suicidal" as a result of what happened.

Jailing Drake for four years and six months, Judge David Pugh said his offending had a "significant impact" on the victim and her family. 

Michael Clare, mitigating, said the defendant was "naive and immature rather than "predatory and sinister".

He said he had previously "buried his head in the sand" before finally admitting the offences and was "reconciled to his fate".

Drake was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and put on the sex offenders register for life.