A man has been jailed after he had sex with a Huddersfield schoolgirl to whom he lied about his age.
Prince Zinto befriended the 15-year-old in 2013 after he began smiling at her when she walked past his place of work
He then started talking to her and asked for her phone number, Tony Kelbrick prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court.
He told her he was 21 and she thought he was nice. He was aware she was only 15 and that in reality he was twice her age.
On occasions he drove her to McDonalds and would give her a kiss when he dropped her off. She was told she should not be seeing him but continued to do so and one night after they had driven around for a while he pulled off route down a lane.
Mr Kelbrick said Zinto told the girl there was nothing to be scared of and began kissing her after locking the car.
He told her he liked her and persisted in touching her until she let him have sex with her and he did not use a condom.
When she got home she began thinking about what had happened and told a friend and the police were informed.
Sophie Drake representing Zinto, now 33, said he was deeply remorseful for what he had done.
“What he asks me to do is apologise through me to the complainant for his behaviour.”
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He accepted she was vulnerable and that he had lied about his age to her but did not accept a suggestion in the pre-sentence report that he had targeted her in a predatory way.
“It was a friendship that developed, it was obviously wrong, he was the adult and it should not have happened.” She said when he had begun their friendship it was not with the intention it would end up his having sex with her.
Zinto of Bay Hall Common Road, Birkby, admitted sexual activity with a child and was jailed for three years four months. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life.
Sentencing him Recorder Caroline Wigin said he had lied about his age to the girl. “Over a period of time you took her on several occasions to McDonalds. I interpret that as being grooming,” she said.
There was considerable disparity in their ages and on the night concerned his actions went further than they had before and the location and circumstances in his locked car were aggravating features.
